An Unexpected Little Angel
by Sofie Nielsen
Summary: Dimitri left Rose for Tasha, but what happens when he returns to find his beloved Rose with a baby girl? Who's the father, will she ever let him explain, can Rose ever trust Dimitri again, what is wrong with Cady and will the two ever be together again? read to find out
1. Chapter 1

**An Unexpected Little Angel**

_Takes place after Shadow Kissed. Rose and Dimitri made love to each other in the cabin, right before the attack took place. They never had the talk afterwards and Dimitri did not get attacked or turned strigoi. He left Rose right after the attack, to go guard Tasha._

__Dimitri leaves Rose, after sleeping with her, to go guard Tasha even though he still loves Rose. He believes that it's best for Rose if he leaves, that way nothing comes in the way of her dream of being Lissas guardian, and he wouldn't be near Rose and save her instead of someone else. All in all he believes, at the moment, that his decision of leaving is the right thing to do.  
He leaves behind a heartbroken Rose, who goes through hell the next couple of months, until she finds out that she's pregnant. She knows that she needs to move on from Dimitri to be able to take care of this baby she's now expecting, and she's able to pull herself together and begins to live her life again, bit by bit even though it's hard and she'll never be able to get over him for real, she wished she could though. The 21st of May, and unexpected little angel arrives.

Now Rose lives with her daughter at court, along with Lissa, Christian and Adrian. Lissa is the Queen and Rose her part time guardian, since she also has a daughter to take care of. Adrian runs around being his usual self when he's not helping Rose out with her daughter, and Christian helps his wife run the moroi world. Yeah Lissa and him got married, surprise…!

"Mommy, mommy wake up!" the little girl bumping up and down on my stomach yelled. I opened my eyes and looked up at my beautiful daughter. Every time I looked at her, I saw Dimitri, her father. Not many could see him in her, but I could and so could the people who knew he was her father. Not many did know, and that was the way I preferred to keep it. Ever since founding out I was pregnant, the story every one not close to me believed, was that I'd had a brief fling with a moroi and had that way had ended up pregnant. Even my mother didn't know that her granddaughter's father was my old mentor, only Lissa, Christian and Adrian knew.  
"It's only 6 o'clock in the morning sweetie. What are you doing up already?" I asked my daughter and moved one of her brown curls away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. Her hair pretty much looked like a bird's nest on top of her head right now, but when she hadn't just woken up, her hair was curly and brown, the exact same color as my hair. Her beautiful face and bone structure was very similar to mine, though if you looked enough, Dimitri came clear in her too, especially in her eyes. They were the exact same as her father, big and round, dark chocolate brown eyes. She was the most beautiful little three year old girl I'd ever seen, but of course I thought that, she was my daughter.  
"I couldn't sleep any longer…" she said. I could nothing but smile at my little angel sitting on top of me, fresh from bed.  
"Okay then, let's go make some breakfast." I smiled and tickled her tiny tummy and she squirmed.  
"Yay…!" she jumped down from the bed and ran out of the bedroom towards the kitchen. She'd definitely inherited my appetite.  
"What do you want for breakfast sweetheart?" I asked when I walked into the kitchen, where Cady already sat ready at the table on her child stool.  
"Cookie crips, please." She said and gave me her cutest smile, and I could nothing but smile at the look at her, and the fact that she didn't knew how to pronounce her favorite cereal entirely yet. Normally I tried to give her something healthier for breakfast than mini cookies with milk, but today was a big day for both of us. Today Cady was starting at the kindergarten at court, after I'd taken her with me while I looked after Lissa every day until today.  
"Cookie crisps it is then." I chuckled as I walked to the cupboard and pulled out the box along with a deep dish and a spoon. "Here you go sweetie." I said and kissed the top of her head as I poured some milk on her cereals.  
"Thank you mommy." She said and started eating her breakfast.  
"Mommy's gonna go get dressed while you eat okay baby?"  
"Okay…" she said. I turned on the TV cartoons, before I headed to the bathroom to get a quick shower before work. After getting out of the shower, I blow dried my hair and pulled it up into a pony tail, I then added a little makeup before I headed to my bedroom, to pull on my usual work clothes.  
I was buttoning the last few buttons on my white shirt as Cady came in and climbed onto the bed. It was a difficult task since the bed was a little taller than her, but she made it up on her own.  
"Are you done eating honey?" I asked as I pulled on my black guardian jacket.  
"Yep." She said pooping the p at the end.  
"Well then let's go get you dressed, before uncle Adrian gets here." I said and picked her up, swinging her around as we went to her room while she laughed.  
"Why is uncle Adrian coming mommy?" she asked in her little girly voice as I pulled a dress out from her closet.  
"He's going with us to the kindergarten today, to drop you of baby. Is that okay?" I asked and pulled the dress over her head.  
"Yes, I love uncle Adrian." She smiled and clapped her hands, making it a little difficult to get her dressed.  
"Come on, let's get your hair combed baby." I said and took my daughters hand, pulling her in the direction of the bathroom.  
"Please be careful mommy." She almost sobbed and looked very nervous at the task in front of us.  
"Always sweetie." I said and got down to business. Luckily for Cady it looked a lot worse than it actually was, and soon I had her hair all combed out and pulled into a pony tail like mine.  
Just as I lay the brush back down on the counter, someone knocked on the door.  
"Uncle Adrians here!" Cady said and ran to get the door. "Uncle Adrian!" she laughed and threw herself into his arms as soon as the door was open.  
"Good morning to you too sweetheart." Adrian chuckled as he stepped inside and closed the door with his foot, all while still holding Cady in his arms.  
"Morning Adrian." I said and kissed his cheek before heading to clean up after Cadys breakfast, and grabbing some myself.  
"Good morning Rose." He smiled and sat Cady down, who ran to see her favorite cartoons.  
"Thank you for coming, I know you probably had something better to do." I said and took a bite of my banana.  
"No, I'd love to follow my niece to her first day of kindergarten along with her mother." He said and sat down. Adrian and Cady were very close, him being kind of the father figure she didn't have. When I'd told Adrian I was pregnant three years ago, we'd tried to make it work as couple between us, but I just couldn't. I loved Adrian very much, and he knew that, but it would always be as a friend, and he accepted that.  
"Would you mind giving her, her jacket on, I just gotta go grab my phone." I said looking down at one of my closest friends, there wasn't a thing Adrian didn't know about me.  
"Of course. Cady, turn of the TV and get your butt in here!" he screamed as I reached the bedroom, outing a smile on my lips. I grabbed my phone and went out to join Adrian and Cady, as we headed in the direction of the kindergarten on the other side of court.

…

"So how was first day of kindergarten sweetie?" I asked as I walked hand in hand with Cady on our way to Lissa and Christians where we would be eating dinner, after just picking her up.  
"It was fun. I played outside all day with my new friend mommy." She said and smiled, jumping over the cracks in the sidewalk.  
"That does sound fun, who's your new friend?" I asked, pushing the door to Lissa and Christian's house open. They lived in a big, big house little outside of center of court. The house was big white, and very luxurious, with a big garden and pool, in which Cady spent almost every waken hour in, in the summer time.  
"His name is Matt, hey Auntie Lissa." She said and forgot all about this Matt, when she saw Lissa.  
"Hi sweetie, are you hungry?" Lissa said and hugged her favorite little girl.  
"Yes, Yes, Yes!" she said and ran in to the dining room, where Dora, Lissas maid, where setting up.  
"Oh, she's just like her mother." Lissa laughed and came over to give me a hug.  
"Shut up Liss." I smiled and went to the dining room to eat dinner with my family.  
"Hey Fire crotch." I said and sat down beside Cady.  
"Hey Rose." Christian responded, he was used to me calling him all sorts of names.  
"Where's Adrian?" I asked as I cut out the food on Cadys plate.  
"He's on a date with that new girl." Lissa said.  
"Again, wow he must be pretty serious then." I said and stuffed some food in my mouth.  
"Naw, he's just trying to get laid." Christian laughed with his mouth full of food, which he almost spit out when I kicked him hard under the table.  
"Mommy what does getting laid mean?" Cady asked curiously.  
"See?" I said and motioned to my daughter, she was just in the age of learning everything, especially the words she weren't supposed to hear. "Mommy will tell you when you're older baby, now eat your food." I said and smiled down at her. Across the table both Lissa and Christian had a hard time not bursting out laughing.  
"Your time will come." Was all I said and the dinner continued like it usually did. After talking in their living room over coffee for quite some time, Cady had fallen asleep with her head in Christians lap.  
"I better get her home, thank you for dinner." I said and hugged Lissa before picking up my daughter.  
"I'll see you tomorrow Rose." She said before I closed the door behind me.  
"See ya."  
Once back at our own little apartment, I undressed Cady, trying not to wake her, before tucking her in. I closed the door behind me, and went to go sleep in my own big bed, all alone…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sun shined down on me from a clear blue sky, as I walked to work. I'd just dropped Cady off at the kindergarten. She already seemed to love it, which made me both happy and sad. Of course I wanted my daughter to have fun and feel safe wherever she was, but it hurt a little that she was over the "though" start so fast.  
"Hey Liss!" I yelled as I walked inside the big foyer with marble floor. To the side, a big staircase led up to the first floor, where all the rooms where, along with three bathrooms. Yeah I know, three bathrooms on the first floor, Lissa wasn't shy about being Queen, but why should she.  
"Oh Dora, you know where Lissa is?" I asked the middle aged, Spanish woman who were vacuuming the carpet in the living room.  
"Mrs. Lissa upstairs, Ms. Roza." She said and smiled, not knowing that she'd just forced a knife through my heart. Hearing her call me my old nickname that Dimitri used to call me, hurt more than I wanted to admit. I so wanted to be over him, he'd caused me nothing but pain except from Cady, but I was working on it, and my love was slowly turning into rage.  
"Thank you." I said and hurried upstairs to where Lissa had her office. I walked in the office, to find Lissa and Christian in the middle of a fight.  
"Whoa guys, I can leave if you two wanna-", I started put Christian cut me off.  
"No stay, I'm leaving." He said and was out the door before I could count to two, leaving Lissa alone with me.  
"You okay?" I asked and sat down in the chair on the other side of the big mahogany desk from where Lissa sat.  
"I'm fine Rose, don't worry about it." she waved it off and turned to a big catalogue on her desk. I knew her better though, but I also knew her well enough not to push it, at least for the moment.  
"So what are we doing today?" I said swinging my leg onto the table, leaning back and looking up at the beautifully decorated ceiling.  
"Not much really, but I need you to help me figure out which of these dresses I would look best in." she said pointing down into the catalogue. I took it from her and looked over the dresses she'd marked, not knowing what to say. They were all stunning, and very expensive, I would never in my entire life have enough money to buy a dress from this catalogue.  
"I don't know Liss, they're all beautiful." I said handing her back the catalogue.  
"You see my dilemma then." She sighed frustrated and turned the pages.  
"What do you need a dress for anyway?" I asked her, and a uncomfortable feeling ran over me through the bond. Oh so this was what they'd been fighting about when I got here.  
"Em, I really need two dresses actually." She said and looked closely at the pages, not wanting to meet my eyes.  
"Liss?!" I said and slammed my hand down over the catalogue, forcing her to stop looking at dresses and answer my question instead.  
"I've been Queen for three years, next month, and I'm throwing this big ball, cool huh?" she said looking very excited.  
"Yes that does sound very cool Liss. But what are you going to need the second dress for?" I asked, not entirely as excited about her big ball, as she was. Ever since I'd gotten Cady, I'd tuned down my partying a lot to be with my daughter, and knowing that a big ball was coming up, sounded like it would be a lot of work, meaning a lot of time away from her.  
"Christian and I received a wedding invitation this morning…" she trailed of seeming very nervous.  
"So…?" I said not really understanding what the big fuss was about.  
"We don't know much, other than the place and date, and that we can only bring one guardian."  
"Wow, must be a tiny wedding. Who's getting married?" I asked looking down at my nails, I really needed to get them done, they looked awful.  
"The invitation came from Tasha, Rose." She finally spoke, and my blood ran cold. It couldn't be, he couldn't be marrying her. Of course Tasha had always loved Dimitri, and them spending time together must've given him feelings for her too. I didn't think it was possible, before today, that a heart could break even more than mine already had. Guess I was wrong.  
"Please say something Rose." Liss said and she came and sat down beside me.  
"What do you want me to say…", I said, but it almost came out as a whisper.  
"I'm sorry Rose. I know these past years have been hard for you, and this probably doesn't make it any better." She said and took my hand in hers, trying to comfort me, but it didn't work. I was speechless for a long time, before I finally spoke again.  
"No… he can marry whoever he wants to, I just…" I trailed of not knowing what more to say. I knew it was none of my business that Dimitri was going to marry Tasha, but I thought what we had had meant more to him, than that. I was obviously wrong.  
"Rose…-", She started but I cut her off.  
"I'm gonna go pick Cady up. I'll see you tomorrow Liss." I ended and stormed out the door before I would break down in front of my best friend. I barely made it out the house, before I fell to my knees on the sidewalk, crying. How could he. After everything he'd done to me, he was just going to forget it like that. He was just going to marry that scar faced bitch, after only three years.  
Until that point I had no idea that I'd been lying to myself this entire time. Even though I wished I could just forget Dimitri, it was never going to happen. A small part inside of me would always hope that he would come running back to me, but he never would. He was done with me, for good. He'd been for three years now, and it pissed me of. How could someone sleep with someone and then just run away like nothing happened. There might be a part inside of me who wished he'd come back, if not for me, then for Cady, who he had no idea existed, but the bigger part wanted to beat the crap out of him, for leaving. Adrian had never hidden his opinion about all of this; he believed Dimitri ought to know that he had a three year old daughter. I stopped counting how many times I sat down to send him her birth certificate, but I never went through with it, I never told him about her. And know I knew I never would. I wouldn't put Cady through that, she deserved better. She deserved a father, who could be there for her, and Dimitri couldn't, he had his own life.  
"You're never gonna tell him, he doesn't deserve to know." I whispered to myself, making it a promise, Cady deserved way better than that.  
I stood up and brushed the dust off of my knees, and headed in the direction of the kindergarten. What I needed right now was to be with Cady, the one person who wouldn't ask me about Dimitri. She'd only ever asked me once about her father.

"Mommy Julie has daddy, do I have a daddy?" Cady had asked one night when I was tucking her in her bed. I'd always known that she would ask me this question at some point, but I didn't think thus early on, she was only two and a half.  
"Well sweetie, not everyone one has a daddy, and some doesn't have their mommies. All families are different baby. Some kids have a mom and a dad, some just have a mom like you, and some may have two daddies and no mom… all families are different Cady, and just because you don't have a daddy doesn't mean that your not loved. Okay sweetheart?" I couldn't bring myself to tell my sweet little that someone who was supposed to love her and be there for her wasn't, because he left us before she was even born. No child needs to hear that, right?  
"Okay mommy, goodnight." She yawned.  
"Night sweetheart." I said and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you baby…"

When I came close to the kindergarten, I could hear the kids playing outside in playground.  
"Hello Guardian Hathaway." One of the employees said when I opened the gate to the playground.  
"Hi." I said. "You know where I can find Cady?" I asked hoping she could spare me some time looking.  
"I think she's inside in the playroom." She responded as she at the same time tried to comfort a crying child.  
"Thank you…" I said and went inside to find my daughter.  
"Mommy!" Cady laughed the moment she saw me, and came running into my arms.  
"Hi baby." I said and hugged held her a little tighter than usually.  
"Wanna see mine and Sophia's drawing mommy?" she said with light in her eyes.  
"Of course darling." I said and she showed me a piece of paper with a unicorn on it, walking on a big grassy field under a rainbow.  
"Isn't it pretty." Both girls asked me.  
"It sure is girls. Now come on Cady, we going to grab an ice cream on our way home, what about that?" I said and she immediately jumped up and down clapping her tiny hands together.  
"Can I get strawberry mommy?" she asked as I gave her, her jacket on.  
"Sure you can baby." I said and we left the kindergarten to go grab ice cream before dinner…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I woke up in the middle of the night, to the sound of Cady crying. I got out of the bed and was in her room, by the side of her bed, faster than I thought possible. She lay curled up in the sheets, sobbing in her sleep, and sweaty.  
"Cady, wake up baby." I said and shook her little body gently.  
"Mommy?" she cried and put her arms around my neck.  
"Shh… baby it's alright." I said trying to comfort my daughter. "How are you feeling Cady?" I asked, nervous about her, as I put my hand on her forehead, she was burning hot. She usually slept like a baby; she'd never been like this before.  
"I don't feel good mommy." She cried into my collarbone.  
"It's okay, everything's going to be okay." I said and kissed her hair. I had no idea what was wrong with, us dhamphirs had a damn good immune system, she couldn't just get sick like that, could she, and was she even sick?  
"Don't leave me mommy, please…?" she begged as I started to stand up.  
"I won't baby, I promise. Come here." I said and wiped the tears away from her face, before picking her up. I walked out into the kitchen with Cady in my arms. First of all I needed to cool her down.  
"Here baby, drink some water." I said as I sat her down on the kitchen counter, before stripping her down to her underwear.  
"Easy…" I said when she coughed down the water.  
"Sorry mommy, for waking you." She apologized with big wet eyes.  
"It's okay honey, don't worry about it. Look we need to take your temperature okay?" I explained as I carried her to the bathroom, and found the thermometer in the cabinet.  
"Open your mouth." She did as I told her too, and I put the thermometer under her tongue.  
"Oh Cady, your temperature is 39,5 degrees." I said looking down at the pin after waiting for it to measure.  
"Is that bad?" she sobbed.  
"It could be better sweetie." I said not lying to her. I needed to figure out what to do with her. I couldn't just pretend nothing was wrong.  
"You wanna watch some cartoons, while mommy just go make a phone call?" I asked and placed Cady in the sofa, with a glass of water.  
"Okay mommy." She said and watched the cartoons in front of her. I grabbed my phone from the kitchen table, and dialed Lissas number.  
"Pick up Liss…" I begged as I paced back and forth the kitchen floor.  
"Damn it…!" I yelled when she didn't pick up her phone. Well then I guess I needed to go to her.  
"Mommy?" Cady cried from the living room and I hurried in there, scooping her up in my arms.  
"Shh… baby, we're going to aunt Lissa okay?" I said as I wrapped her in a blanket, and put her back down on the couch, so I could get some clothes and shoes on myself.  
"Come on." I said as I picked her up and locked the apartment door behind me. Since I didn't have a car, we needed to walk all the way to their house, and it took at least ten minutes. By the time we finally arrived Cady had fallen asleep in my arms, but she still sobbed in her sleep, definitely not feeling well.  
"Rose, what are you doing here?" Nathan asked. Nathan was Lissas other guardian, and he apparently had the shift this night. I didn't talk to him that much, since we always had the opposite shift of one another. But from what I'd heard, he was a nice person and one hell of a guardian.  
"Cady's sick, I need Liss to heal her." I said as he unlocked the big gate for me.  
"I'm sorry to hear that, just go." He said as I walked by him through the heavily guarded barrier that surrounded the entire property.  
"Thank you Nathan." I said crossing across the grass to knock on the front door. I don't know how many times I knocked before someone finally answered, guess Doras shift had ended to. It was Christian who opened the door.  
"Rose, what wrong?" he asked, standing in the doorway only in his sweat pants.  
"Cady's sick." I said as I pushed him a side, getting Cady inside and putting her down on the couch.  
"What do you mean sick?" he asked and put a hand to her forehead. "Wow she's burning Rose."  
"You think Sparky?!" I bit irritated at him, as Lissa came walking down the stairs in her white, silk robe.  
"What's going on down here? Rose what are you doing here in the middle of the night?" She asked still blinking her eyes, getting used to the light, coming from the crystal chandelier.  
"Cadys sick Liss." I said and sat down beside my daughter on the couch, taking her head in my lap.  
"She's burning, babe." Christian informed her and went to the kitchen to get Cady some water.  
"She's sleeping now, but she isn't feeling good. I'm sorry for dropping by in the middle of the night like this, but I had no idea what else to do…" I said. I felt lost, my little girl was sick, and I, her mother, had no idea what to do. This was my first time being a mother, and I had to learn everything by hand.  
"It's okay Rose, don't worry about it." Christian said joining the conversation, as he came back into the living room with a glass of water.  
"Yeah, you can always come Rose, don't doubt that sweetie." Lissa agreed.  
"Thank you." I said as Cady stirred, wakening up.  
"Mommy?" she said groggy from sleep and from crying.  
"Mommy's right here baby." I said and picked her entirely up on my lap, kissing her hair.  
"Now what are we gonna do about you, little miss sunshine." Lissa said smiling at Cady.  
"Auntie Lissa, I don't feel too good." She said and hid her face in me.  
"I know sweetie." She said and sat down.  
"Cady you remember what I told you about auntie Lissa?" I asked the little girl on my lap. I'd told her what powers Lissa had before, but I never really think she understood it entirely.  
"Yes, you can make people feel better when they're not feeling good. Right…?" Cady spoke, looking up at Lissa with big eyes.  
"That's right princess." Lissa smiled and tucked some hair behind Cadys ear.  
"Would you heal her Liss, please? I can't stand to see her not feeling good, it makes me sick too." I whispered so Cady wouldn't hear me.  
"Of course I will Rose. When the two of you are hurting, I'm hurting." She said and put her hand on Cadys tummy.  
"Yeah, I'm not hurting when you are Rose, but I sure am sad to see my little girl hurting." Christian spoke.  
"Babe!" Lissa yelled at him.  
"Go irritate somebody else Fire crotch!" I said. I knew he was joking but I was worn out completely, and not in the mood for anyone's jokes.  
"Okay, okay, I'll leave. I'll see you later Cady, love you." He said and kissed the top of her head.  
"Love you too uncle Christian." She said and forced a smile, though I could see she wasn't feeling well.  
"Listen Cady, I'm gonna heal you and it's going to feel a little bit funny to begin with, okay?" Lissa said trying to explain to her what was gonna happen.  
"Will it hurt?" Cady asked looking scared up at me.  
"No baby, it won't." I assured her and smiled.  
"Okay then."  
"You ready Cady?" Lissa asked.  
"I'm ready." She said, and I could feel the magic starting to flood through the bond, as it poured into my daughter. I counted and reached ten before Lissa stopped healing Cady, and moved her hand from her tummy  
"You feeling better?" she asked.  
"Yes, but I'm tired auntie Lissa." She said and yawned. Relieve flooded over me, when she told that she felt better.  
"Yeah me too sweetie, but I can't heal that unfortunately." She smiled and then looked at me.  
"Rose why don't the two of you, sleep in the guestroom tonight?" She asked and motioned to a very tired little girl between us.  
"Okay, come on baby." I said picking Cady up to the guestroom upstairs. I placed her gently down on the big bed in the middle of the room, and softly tucked her in the sheets. I kissed her already sleeping head, before heading downstairs to the kitchen. I made myself a cup of coffee, I was tired, but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep now anyways. Too many things were running through my head at this point. Cady had just been sick for the first time, like really sick, and I was all alone with it. Of course I had Liss and Christian, but it still wasn't the same, as if Cady'd had her father here with her. He might not have been able to do much more than I about it, but he could've supported both of us, we could use it.  
My heart and mind was torn apart. My mind told me that the most grown up thing to do, would be to tell Dimitri about his daughter, but my heart told me no. He'd walked out on us before, and the odds of him doing it again, was big considering he was marrying Tasha. Thankfully Lissa walked into the kitchen, before I could think more about it.  
"What are you doing up?" she asked and poured some coffee into a mug.  
"Couldn't sleep." I said and blew on the hot liquid in my cup.  
"Me neither." She said and sat down on the chair beside me. None of us really said anything, and to be completely honest, I wasn't really in the mood of talking right now. After some time Lissa broke the silence though.  
"Rose…?"  
"Yeah…?".  
"You know I'm here for you, right?" she started, and I nodded in response.  
"Good. Rose about the wedding…" I knew this was what this was leading to, damn it not now.  
"What about it?" I said nonchalantly.  
"I just…, I wanted to give you the choice to decide, whether you'll be the guardian to go with us or not…" she trailed off. Oh I already knew the answer to this one.  
"I'd preferred not to go, I don't really wanna watch them…" I ended not knowing how to continue, without showing some emotions, that weren't true. If Dimitri wanted to marry Tasha, he could, but no way in hell would I watch it take place.  
"I completely understand, and if wasn't Christians aunt I wouldn't have gone to this wedding." She apologized.  
"Lissa it's okay, you don't have to hate them just because I do."  
"I know but…" she trailed off.  
"When is it?" I asked taking a sip of my coffee.  
"We're leaving in two weeks."  
"And when are you coming home?" I asked.  
"We'll be home the day of the ball. We'll be gone for a couple of days…" She said.  
"Okay. Well I'm gonna go to bed, night Liss." I said and out down my cup in the sink.  
"Good night Rose." She said as I started up the big staircase. Once back in the guestroom, I went to the adjacent bathroom, to splash some water in my face. I looked up into the big mirror.  
The reflection in the mirror stared back at me, with big dark circles under the eyes, pale faced, and with sorrow in her eyes. I turned my back to the mirror not wanting to look at truth, I was losing it. I hid my face in my hands as I fell to my knees on the bathroom floor, no longer able to tell what was water and what was tears. How could I've lost him. I knew he'd left me, but somewhere inside of me I'd always thought he'd come back. He had to, I couldn't do this on my own. Cady was growing and asking questions I couldn't answer. She needed her father, I needed her father.  
I fisted my hands so hard that my nails drew blood. How could he, how dared he. I meant nothing to him, absolutely nothing.  
I stood up and washed the blood off my hands, before going to lay down beside Cady.  
"I promise baby, I won't ever let him hurt you like he hurt me." I whispered and kissed my sleeping daughter. I needed to protect her from him, she didn't need him. We were better off without him.  
"I'm done spilling tears over him." I whispered to myself before I fell asleep with the person I cared about the most, in my arms.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I looked at my alarm clock on the nightstand beside my bed. It was eight o'clock in the morning, and I tried not to make too much noise as I got out of bed, in case I woke up Cady. It was Saturday so I would let her sleep, she needed it. Ever since she woke up sick in the night four days ago, she'd been more tired than a usual three year old girl would be. I'd of course taken her to the doctor next morning, just to make sure she was okay. He looked her over but didn't find anything unusual, but after I'd explained about her fever, he did tell me that it was normal to be tired in the days after, so I didn't freak out. She needed time to collect her energy again.  
I went to the kitchen and made some coffee, and as I started to make myself some breakfast, Adrian bursted through the door.  
"Ever heard of knocking?!" I hissed with a finger to my lips, telling him to be quiet.  
"She's still exhausted?" he asked and pointed his head at Cadys room.  
"Yeah…" I said and put some bread in the toaster.  
"Oh okay, I'll be quiet." He whispered as he closed the door behind him and sat down at the table.  
"So what's up?" I asked. It was weekend and Cady wasn't going to kindergarten today, so I didn't really know why he was here.  
"Okay listen up, and don't get mad at okay? Promise!" he said and pointed a finger at me, knowing that I probably would get mad at what he was about to say.  
"Fine, now spill!" I said taking the bread from the toaster and putting it on a plate, before I go sat down with Adrian.  
"I've kinda set you up…" he said and looked nervously at me.  
"Set me up like…?" I asked, hoping he wasn't about to say what I thought he was.  
"On a date…" he said and looked down, hiding a smile, oh he was enjoying this.  
"No Adrian-", I started but he cut me off.  
"Rose you promised not to get mad." He laughed holding his hands up in defense.  
"Why would you set me up on a date?" I asked, pretending to be calm, when my heart was beating a thousand miles per hour.  
"I think it's time that you move on Rose, or at least try." He began.  
"Adrian I have I moved on!"  
"I'll believe that when you do." he said sternly. He knew me too good. "Just give it a try, I'm not asking you to marry the guy."  
"I got the late shift with Lissa tonight, sorry." I said not sorry at all.  
"Aren't they leaving for the-",  
"Not until tomorrow morning." I said butting him of before he could say wedding.  
"Okay. But then you're off right?"  
"No, I need to watch Cady, you know my daughter." I said and took a sip of my coffee.  
"I can watch her." He suggested and took one of the toast form my table, eating it.  
"Adrian, no." I said, not wanting to discuss this anymore.  
"Why not Rose, you need to have some fun?" he kept pushing, making me go crazy.  
"Fine, whatever will you to shut up, jerk." I said and went to put the empty plate in the dishwasher.  
"Yes!" he shouted with joy, putting a small smile on my face, even though I wasn't happy for the fact that I was going on a date with someone I didn't even know.  
"Who is it anyway?" I asked him.  
"You know Angela Williams?"  
"I'm going on a date with Christians guardian?" I asked surprised. I'd actually found a great friend in Angela the last couple of years, she'd even helped me out with Cady from time to time. she was a nice girl.  
"No you idiot, you're going on a date with her brother, Jeremy Williams." He said smiling at me.  
"Didn't know she had a brother." I said.  
"Well she does, he guards the entrance to the court." Adrian explained. "Well I gotta go Rose. You're meeting him tomorrow night, at seven, at the Italian restaurant outside of court, don't worry Id' paid everything. Say hello to Cady from me, bye." He smiled walking out the door, as I stuck my tongue out at him.  
"Very mature Rose." He laughed from the other side. "Very mature…"

…

"You want to know what I think is stupid?" I asked as I sat on the bed, braiding my hair.  
"What do you think is stupid, Rose?" Lissa chuckled. We were in her and Christian's master bedroom, or in her closet rather, packing for the trip they were going on in a few hours.  
"I think it's stupid that you can only bring one guardian. I mean, you're the Queen, one guardian isn't enough." I complained. I really didn't want to go with her to this wedding shit, but I needed her to be safe.  
"I'm sure there are guardians at the location Rose, don't worry about it." she smiled and folded her dress for the wedding gently together, before putting it in her suitcase.  
"Maybe, but it's still stupid." _It's all stupid,_ I added in my head.  
"Mrs. Lissa, time to leave!" Dora called from the end of the hallway. I got out of the bed and grabbed Lissa suitcase before she could herself.  
"You don't have to carry it sweetie." She said.  
"I want to." I smiled and we walked down the stairs to where Christian and the two guardians going waited, Angela and Nathan.  
"You two sure take your time." Christian said impatiently as we left for the garage.  
"Shut up Sparky!" I said kicking him in the ass since he walked in front of me.  
"I'll miss you too Rose." He said and rubbed his butt, before getting in the car where Angela and Nathan already waited for him.  
"Relax while we're gone okay, spend some time with Cady. Oh, and have fun on your date!" Lissa squirmed as she hugged me goodbye.  
"How did you know…? Adrian." I sighed and opened the car door for her.  
"Bye Rose." She said and I slammed the door shut.  
"Bye guys!" I waved as they left through the gate. I went inside and grabbed my purse with my phone in it, before I said my goodbyes to Dora. I walked out and headed in the direction of Cadys kindergarten.

…

"So, what do you want for dinner tonight baby?" I asked Cady as I unlocked the door to our apartment.  
"Food!" she said smartly.  
"Funny." I said and poked her in her tummy, making her laugh out loud.  
"What do you say about, going out for dinner?" I asked, knowing that my cooking skills hadn't become any better even after I'd had Cady.  
"Can Uncle Adrian come?" she asked skipping around the living room, as I put down my purse.  
"Sure thing sweetie." I said. I didn't mind spending time with Adrian, both Cady and I enjoyed his company a lot.  
I grabbed my phone from my purse on the kitchen counter, and dialed his number.  
"Little Dhamphir." He chuckled when he picked up.  
"Hey smartass." I said and gave Cady the cracker she'd been begging for the entire way home from kindergarten.  
"So, what's up Rose?" he asked.  
"Cady and I are going out for dinner, just thought you'd might wanna come." I said and checked on Cady who sat bumping on the couch, as she ate her cracker.  
"I'd love too. It's a date then." He chuckled on the end of the line.  
"No, I'll see you in a bit." I said and hung up.  
"Is he coming mommy?" Cady asked, running to me and I picked her up and placed her on my hip.  
"Yep." I said popping the p in the end. "Where do you wanna eat, little monster." I said as I pretended to eat her cheek.  
"Pizza Hut!" she laughed.  
"Pizza hut it is then." I said and put her down. "Now let's go get you cleaned up a bit, before Adrian gets here." I said and pushed her in the direction of the bathroom.  
"Yeah, Uncle Adrian doesn't like my fingers when they are dirty." She said and looked down at her hands, with a strange expression on her beautiful face.  
"Yeah well you get that when you play outside all day." I said and dried of her hand with the towel, just as the door bell rang.  
"Uncle Adrian!" Cady screamed and ran to let him in, as I picked up her jacket from the living room floor, where she'd thrown it when we dot home.  
"Hi Cady." He said and picked her up, "Are you ready to go eat?" he asked her and tickled her tummy.  
"Yes, yes, yes!" she squirmed and ran to me to put her jacket on.  
"Uncle Adrian can help you with the shoes honey." I said and gave Adrian my man eating smile.  
"Fine, come here girl." He said and Cady ran to him with her shoes in her hands. I grabbed my own jacket and slid it on, grabbed the keys and my phone, and we were outta there.

…

"Did you have a good day today baby?" I asked Cady as I tucked her in under the duvet.  
"Yes mommy." She said and smiled up at me.  
"Good. Tomorrow we can do whatever you want to, just the two of us, okay?" I said and leaned down to kiss her goodnight.  
"Even go to pool?!" she said and her eyes gleamed.  
"Even go to the pool." I laughed.  
"Goodnight mommy, I love you." She said and closed her eyes.  
"Love you too baby." I whispered and turned off the lights, closing the door to her room quietly behind me.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I was standing in my bedroom in front of the mirror, deciding what to wear for my date. Behind me Cady sat on my bed, bumping up and down with her new doll, Adrian had gotten her. I wasn't really nervous about going on a date with Jeremy tonight. I'd never met the guy before, but I'd promised Lissa and Adrian that I would have fun, so I planned on keeping my promise to them. I wasn't completely sure how I thought of tonight though. When thinking about it, I didn't really consider it a date; yeah we would be going to dinner and be doing all the things you did on a date, but that would be it. I definitely didn't plan on going into any kind of relationship with this Jeremy guy in the near future, but that didn't mean we couldn't be friends. I weren't ready for more than that, even though it'd been over three years.  
I went to my closet and pulled out a white, strapless maxi dress. We were in the middle of June so why don't enjoy the beginning of summer while we were at it. I pulled on the dress and quickly pulled my hair up into a ponytail, before taking a look at myself in the mirror.  
"You look so pretty mommy!" Cady smiled from behind me on the bed.  
"Thank you Cady." I said and smiled at her in the mirror, twirling around for her, and making her giggle.  
"I wish I was as pretty as you." She then said and stood up on the bed. I walked to the edge of the bed and pulled her to me.  
"Wanna know a secret?" I asked and tucked some hair behind her ear.  
"Mmh." She nodded and placed her small hands on both sides of my face.  
"You're even prettier than me." I said and kissed her.  
"You think." She asked and I could see the happiness in her eyes. It was my life mission to always make sure that light was in her eyes, she should never be unhappy.  
"I sure do baby…" I said and picked her up, spinning her around. A knock on the door disturbed or little fun.  
"Uncle Adrians here, will you go get the door Cady?" I asked and went to put on some makeup as she went to answer the door. When I finished my makeup I still hadn't heard a sound from them, so I went to look. Walking to the door, through the apartment, there was no trace of Cady anywhere.  
"Cady?!" I yelled getting a little nervous. I knew letting a three year old girl answer the door was inappropriate, but I knew who it was on the other side, so I didn't think more of it.  
"Buuh!" Cady and Adrian screamed as they jumped into view from the hallway.  
"Argh!" I screamed pretending to be scarred, knowing that if I didn't Cady would be upset.  
"I scarred you mommy." She squirmed and ran to me, hugging my legs.  
"Yes you did honey." I said and laughed, as Adrian walked in and threw his jacket wherever he wanted.  
"You know it's enough that I have to clean up after Cady." I said and looked at him, making him pick up his jacket to put it on the hanger.  
"Thank you Adrian." I said and kissed his cheek.  
"Only for you Rose." He said and smiled. "So when are you meeting Jeremy?" he asked as I put on my jacket.  
"Shit, right now actually!" I yelled as I looked at the clock on the wall.  
"Cady come say goodbye to your mother, now!" Adrian screamed into the living room. I had mixed feelings when he kind of acted like a father would, towards Cady. I was overjoyed that Cady had Adrian in her life, but it still ached in my heart to know that someone else could've done it too, like her real dad. _No Rose, we stopped thinking like that a long time ago,_ I told myself as Cady came running to me.  
"Have fun with uncle Adrian." I said and kissed the top of her head.  
"I will, bye mommy." She smiled and ran back into the living room.  
"Have fun." Adrian said as I hugged him good bye.  
"Oh here, you can take my car, it's right outside." He said and handed over his car keys.  
"Thank, bye Cady!" I yelled and Adrian closed the door behind me. I all but ran downstairs and out onto the street, where Adrians car was parked, just like he'd said.  
"Damn." I said when I saw the newest car in his collection. In front of me was a silver Zenvo st1, the supercar of all cars.  
"Wow." I said as I went to the driver's seat and opened the door, getting in.  
"Damn those Danish people know how to make cars." I breathed as I ran my hand over the interior, made out of black leather of course. Even though I was a girl, I loved a nice car, and this definitely was the nicest.  
The engine roared to life as I turned on the car, and started driving down the street.  
"Maybe I should just take you on date." I said totally in love with Adrian car. I drove out of court to a little Italian restaurant, where Jeremy probably was waiting for me.  
Just as I thought, Jeremy was standing outside waiting for me, when I got out of the car. Or I at least assumed it was Jeremy, since I'd never seen the guy before.  
"Rose?" Jeremy asked as I walked up to him.  
"Yes, I'm so sorry that I'm late." I apologized and shook his hand. He looked okay, not the usual type I would prefer, but he would do. he was tall and muscular, his hair was short, almost nonexistent and light brown. What I liked most about him was his eyes though, they were deep green.  
"Don't worry about it, I just got here too." He smiled and we both laughed, well at least we had one thing in common, both of us being late.  
"Oh okay." I said as we started to walk inside.  
"Nice car by the way." He said and pointed towards were the silver Zenvo was parked.  
"It's Adrians." I said as we walked through the doors to the restaurant. The place was tiny but very cozy, and the waiter gave us a table of to the windows. We both ordered some kind of Italian pasta dish, I couldn't pronounce the name though.  
"So Rose." Jeremy said as our food arrived.  
"So Jeremy…" I said, making him chuckle. I scooped some food up onto my fork, and put it in my mouth as he started speaking. It practically melted on my tongue, it was so delicious.  
"Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?" he suggested and started eating his food with a grin on his face.  
"I think you should go first." I said throwing it back at him for two reasons. One, I was hungry like a horse, and two, I didn't know what to tell about myself, without involving Cady, and involving Cady would mean questions about her father.  
"Okay then, I'm 23 years old, and I live in my own apartment back at court. Angela is my only sister, and my parents live in Texas." He started out telling me a whole lot about his family situations and his entire life story, and I was actually kind of fascinated. I think what fascinated me most was, that he had experienced everything in a different way that I had, growing up with both of his parents and stuff. It made him inviting and he left me wanting to know a lot more about him.  
"I don't remember seeing you around court before." I stated as we moved into the career area.  
"Well most of the time, I guar the wards farthest away from central court, sometimes I guard the gate, but it isn't very often." He answered as the waiter came and took our now empty plates.  
"Oh, guess that explains it." I chuckled and he smiled along with me. Jeremy was a nice and interesting guy, and I'd had a lot more fun than what I'd expected to have when I first agreed to this. I wasn't quite sure if the chemistry was there though.  
"Yeah I pretty much think that explains it." he laughed as the waiter came in with our desserts, chocolate cake. "Of course I already know a lot about you, though I don't believe everything people say behind your back." He hastily added, but I just found it funny. "So how does it feel like to be the queens guardian, must be tough."  
"Yeah it is pretty hard sometimes, but I love Lissa, would do anything for her." I said and smiled.  
"That's what makes you a damn good guardian." He said.  
"Thanks, though it's not always a walk on roses, in fact not at all." I chuckled. "But I love my job."  
"So do I. How old is your daughter nowadays, Sandy?" he asked to make conversation, and at this point I felt fine about telling him. I don't know why, but I think the wine we'd been drinking throughout this whole dinner had made me opened up to him, unlike what I may have preferred.  
"Cady," I corrected him before continuing. "She's three, turning four in a few months though."  
"Oh, time passes by so quickly doesn't it?"  
"Yeah, it does." I agreed just as my phone rang from my purse. "I'm sorry, but I have to answer this." I said seeing Adrians name on the caller id.  
"Adrian, what's up?" I said into the phone that I held to my ear.  
"Rose, it's Cady. She's sick again." He said and almost sounded kind of scarred to tell me.  
"What?" I asked. She had just gotten back to her normal self, and now she was sick again.  
"She has a fever, I healed her but she's asking for you, and I thought you would like to know." he said through the phone, and I could hear a heavily crying Cady in the background.  
"Thank you Adrian, I'll be home in ten minutes okay." I said and waved the waiter to our table.  
"Can I get the check, please?" I asked the waiter before resuming to my conversation on the phone with Adrian.  
"I'm sorry to ruin you date, Rose." He said.  
"Don't worry about it Adrian, I'll see you in a bit." I said and hung up the phone.  
"What was that about, are you leaving?" Jeremy asked from across the table, as I paid the waiter for our entire dinner, earning me disapproving looks from my date.  
"I'm sorry, Cady is sick and I need to be with her right now." I said and looked apologizing at him.  
"Don't worry about, I completely understand." He said and smiled. "But could I maybe drive back to court with you?" he asked as we left the restaurant.  
"Of course, and I promise I'll make it up to you some other day." I said as we got in the car.  
"Deal." He said and we shook hands, maybe a little longer than normal.  
"Wow." Jeremy said once he got to look around inside of the car. "Nice."  
"Yeah I know, I'm gonna have to borrow this more often." I laughed and Jeremy laughed along with me.  
"This is me." he said as I pulled up in front of his apartment block, once we were back at court.  
"Again I'm so sorry. I had a great time tonight and I promise to make it up to you." I said, apologizing one last time.  
"Me too, I'll see you around Rose." He said and leaned over to kiss my cheek, before getting out of the car. Once he was inside I sat a minute and thought about the feeling of his lips on my cheek, I liked it.

…

Once inside, safe and sound, in my own apartment, I went to the living room to find Adrian in the couch with a sleeping Cady in his arms.  
"Hi. How is she?" I asked and kneeled down to touch my baby's forehead.  
"She's tired but other than that I think she's okay." He said and picked Cady up from the couch.  
"Just put her in my bedroom, I wanna keep an eye on her tonight." I said as Adrian started for the rooms.  
"Ok." He said and went to tuck Cady in, while I got out of my heels.  
"So how was your date?" he asked when he got back.  
"Great actually. Thank you." I said when he gave me that knowing look.  
"Your welcome, I'm gonna go. Call me if you need anything, and I think maybe you should go see a doctor in the morning."  
"Of course, goodnight Adrian."  
"Night Rose." He said and kissed my forehead before leaving. I went to bed beside Cady, sleeping with one eye open the entire night, in case she got worse. I felt so bad for my little baby…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Could you pull up her shirt?" the doctor asked. He was an old man, probably around sixty, with a bad attitude. I hadn't seen a smile on his face, the entire time we'd been in here. All in all, he was an uncomfortable old man, who should probably have retired many years ago.  
"Of course." I said while trying to sound nice, maybe it would rub off on him. I pulled up Cadys shirt, revealing her tummy. He pulled up his sleeves before taking his stethoscope, and putting it on her naked chest.  
She shuddered a little when the cold metal surface made contact with her skin, but she didn't say a word. When I'd woken her up this morning, she'd been warm and sweaty, instantly making me nervous, though the thermometer didn't say that she had a fever. I'd decided that it would probably be the best if I just followed Adrians advice, and went to see a doctor. I had no idea what could be wrong with my little angel, she was a dhamphir, we weren't supposed to get sick this easily. Anyway it wouldn't hurt to have her checked by a professional.  
Or at least that was what I thought before we got here. Now my eyes hurt by looking at the old man touching my daughter. He had only good intentions, but I preferred that he didn't have to look her over. He had on a long white smock, like all doctors do, with pens and other medical instruments stuffed inside the pockets. His hair went to his ears, and it was gray and shiny, not in the good way.  
"Her lungs and heart sounds fine." He said and hung the stethoscope around his neck.  
"What is wrong with her then, she isn't supposed to just get sick like this." I said, needing to know what was wrong with my daughter.  
"I'm gonna have to take a blood sample, and send it to the lab. They'll know in a few weeks what is wrong with her. Until then, there's nothing we can do, you can heal her, and it will help at the moment, but it won't last forever." He said and went to a drawer and pulled up a needle to take her blood with. As he walked back to the bed Cady sat on, she clung herself tightly to my arm.  
"Mommy I'm scared." She said cried and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.  
"Don't be Cady, it will only hurt for a little while, and then afterwards we can go see Uncle Adrian and show him what a brave girl you are." I tried to cheer her up. Normally we would go see Chrissie this time at the day, but him and Lissa were away for the _wedding_.  
"Okay." She sobbed and held up her arm for the doctor. When the needle went into her vein, she only closed her eyes tightly, she didn't say a word, and no word could explain how proud I was for little girl.

…

"Look Uncle Adrian." Cady squirmed and held her arm up in front of him so he could see the bandage the doctor had put on after he'd pricked her with the needle.  
"What happened?" Adrian asked looking nervously up at me, as Cady walked past him and into the kitchen, where she knew Adrian always had ice cream for her.  
"I took her to the doctor like you said I should." I answered and gave him a hug.  
"So what did the doctor say?" he asked as we walked inside, finding Cady already stuffing ice cream down her mouth, from the ice cream can. She was so much like me when it came to food.  
"He took a blood sample and is going to run some test on it. He can't tell me what is wrong with her, they don't know." I said disappointed. Adrian encircled me in his arms before he spoke.  
"Everything will be alright 'kay? They'll run some test and figure it all out, then we can give her the treatment she needs. Don't worry Rose, I'm here for you."  
"I know, thank you Adrian." I said and kissed his cheek.  
"Mommy, mommy can we go show auntie Lissa my arm?" Cady asked enthusiastically as she ran to me. I crouched down to her level before speaking.  
"Aunt Liss is away with Uncle Chrissie, remember?" I told my daughter. The light she'd had in her eyes disappeared, I didn't exactly feel good about it either, especially not because of the reason she weren't here.  
"Oh…" was all she said as she looked down at ground.  
"Listen Cady baby…" I said as I pulled up her chin with my finger. "What do you say about the two of us going home, we can watch a movie, eat popcorn, maybe even order a pizza." I suggested and her eyes lighted up immediately.  
"Can we do our nails too?" she asked, exactly what I was hoping to avoid.  
" Of course honey." I said and smiled, not wanting to make her sad.  
Cady jumped up and down, clapping her tiny hands in excitement. She usually spent a lot of time around Lissa, and all of Liss' need for being _girly_ had unfortunately rubbed off on Cady.  
I picked up her jacket and handed it over to her, we should go since we needed to stop by the movie rental shop down the street. I put on my own leather jacket and tied up my black and white Chuck Taylors, before looking at Adrian.  
"So, we'll be leaving, see you around Adrian." I said and started to turn around but he caught my wrist and slipped something cold into my hand.  
"What's this?" I asked not opening my hand to find out, just looking up at him.  
"A gift." Was all he said. I wasn't satisfied with the answer but I knew it was all I was gonna get, so I turned my palm up and opened it to find a set of car keys in it.  
"Adrian, I can't take this." I started but he just silenced me with his look.  
"Look Rose, I know it's hard being a single mother and this will help you a lot." He said and pretty much pushed Cady and I out the door, before shutting it in our faces.  
"What's up with him?" Cady asked and I had to laugh at the look she had on her face.  
"I don't know baby, come on." I said and picked her up as we walked down the stairs from his apartment building. Once we walked on the sidewalk, Cady had fallen asleep on my hip, resting her head on my shoulder; she was still exhausted from being sick and everything, even though she had been healed. I pushed the unlock button on the set of keys in my hand. A few meters ahead from where we stood, a Volvo XC60 was parked. I walked up to the big mocha colored dream of a car, not really understanding the fact that this was now my car.  
When I was beside the car, I noticed that Adrian had already placed a car safety seat for Cady on the backseat of the car.  
Gently without waking her up, if she woke up I had to do her nails when we got home, I put her in the car and put the seatbelt around her, before going to the driver's seat and getting in myself.  
We drove straight home, not bothering with renting a movie since Cady was already asleep in the backseat, but before getting out of the car I just sat there and enjoyed the moment. It was very nice of Adrian to buy me a car, and God knows I needed it. picking up Cady from kindergarten, getting groceries and everything else unexpected, had been a lot to handle and especially without a car, and with a Cady being sick these day, I also needed a car to take her to the doctor and so on. It was too much to accept form Adrian, but we both knew I couldn't turn it down, I needed it and I would try and pay him back later.  
I eventually got out of the car, grabbing Cady and headed inside our apartment. I tucked Cady in and went to watch some TV. Some old western movie was playing and I decided to watch it, though I knew it would hurt, it also made me remember the love I'd once shared with Dimitri. A love he was now about to start sharing with Tasha…

…

"Cady get your tiny butt moving, or we're gonna be late!" I yelled up the stairs, hoping she would hear me. Adrian had just left from watching Cady while I attended a guardian meeting. Me being the queens guardian also meant that I was high in the rankings when it came to making the final decisions. He was supposed to have her up, fed and dressed by now, but when I'd gotten back from my meeting, she was still asleep in her bed.  
Today was the day Lissa and Christian were returning from the _wedding._ Ugh, it made me sick to my stomach to think about it. Anyway Liss had called last night and asked me to come pick them up at the airport. The airport at court was at the time shut down because they had to put new concrete on the runways. I'd missed my best friend while she'd been away, so I of course agreed, I mean I was her guardian to so it was my duty to make sure she got back to court safe.  
"I'm ready mommy!" Cady said as she came running down the stairs. I was standing in the kitchen drinking my morning coffee, which I almost spat out over the entire kitchen when I saw how my daughter had chosen to dress.  
"Cady sweetie, come here." I laughed as I motioned for her to come closer.  
"You've put your dress inside out, let me help you." I said as I crouched down to her level, helping her with her dress.  
"But you told me to put it on myself mommy." She said looking sad; probably feeling she'd disappointed me, which she hadn't at all. I thought she should learn how to get dressed by herself, and the best way she would learn was to try.  
"I know I did, and you learn from your mistakes sweetie…. All done, now come on we're gonna be late." I said and handed my again happy daughter her jacket, before putting my own on. I locked the door behind us on our way out, and enjoyed the look of Cady skipping down to our new car.  
"Is that our car mommy?!" she exclaimed when she saw the vehicle I lifted her into.  
"Yeah, cool huh'? It was a gift from Uncle Adrian." I said and started the car.  
The drive to the airport took about half an hour, and by the time we arrived Cady was about to jump out of her seat by anxiety to see her favorite aunt again. The plane hadn't landed yet, so we went to stand by the parking space were they would leave the plane in a few minutes.  
"Look mommy, there they are!" Cady yelled trying to drown out the noisy plane and pointed at the tiny aircraft that was now landing at the end of the runway. Once safely down on the ground, it drove onto the parking area where we stood waiting. Some human were already unloading the plane from the suitcases, as the staircase were put to the open plane door.  
"Look there they come baby!" I said pointing to the top of the stairs, Cady had been freaking out a little about the loud plane in front of us, so I'd picked her up to sit on my hip.  
We stood there watching as Lissa, followed by Christian got off the plane. They made their way to us and Cady ran into the arms of Lissa.  
"Go say hi to Christian, I need to talk to your mom sweetie." She told Cady and then looked up at me.  
"Hi Rose." She said and we hugged. "Look I need to tell you something-", she started, but I was no longer listening to her. My heart had dropped and my blood run cold, when I saw Tasha walk of the plane, followed by her husband… Dimitri.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Dimitri… what was he doing here? The minute he was of the plane he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked down in the ground, not sparing me a glance, but I knew he knew I was there.  
"Rose…? I'm sorry; I didn't know they were coming with us before five minutes before the plane took off. I didn't have any time to call you before we boarded. Rose I'm so sorry." Lissa tried to apologize but I couldn't look at her, not even when Cady hugged my leg and pulled my shirt could I look away from the man who stood twenty meters away from me.  
He averted his eyes from the concrete, and finally turned his head in our direction. When his eyes landed on me he looked me over with an expression I couldn't understand, was he taking me in? Finally our eyes locked on each other and I knew what expressions were flashing over my face at that minute. Hurt, betrayal, but the strongest of them all was anger. I wanted nothing more than to run over to him, and connect my fist so hard with his beautiful face, so hard that he would fall to the ground unconscious.  
"Rose there's something you should know…-", Lissa started but I held up my hand to silence, first now breaking my gaze from Dimitri to look at her.  
"Don't! I don't wanna hear it!" I screamed and got the attention from the entire planes crew.  
"How could you! You know what I've been through these past three years, and then you just decide to bring him!" I screamed and pointed my finger at Dimitri.  
"Rose calm down." She tried but my feelings were way to hurt for me to calm down at the moment, and the fact that I had a big amount of darkness inside of me boiling didn't make any of it any better.  
"Rose please-",  
"Shut up Liss, for once just shut up!" I yelled. Cady winced at my leg and when I looked down at her I realized I was scaring the crap out if her, she was crying hysterically. I bend down and picked my daughter up, my daughter who had no idea her father was standing only twenty meters away.  
"I'm sorry Cady, mommy is just a little confused okay?" I asked and she nodded while she hid her head in my neck.  
"I'm going home." Was all I said before I turned my back on them and started to my car.  
"Rose! You're our ride, how are we supposed to get home?" Lissa asked hurt from behind me but I kept walking.  
"Not problem anymore, not my problem." I said and got in the car and got my ass out of that airport as fast as I could.

…

I was lying on the couch with Cady, tickling her while we watched a movie with Cadys favorite cartoon characters, Teletubbies, when someone knocked on our door.  
"Mommy who is it?" Cady asked still laughing and smiling from our play.  
"I don't know sweetie, go to the bathroom and start to fill up the tub, how does that sound?" I asked her, having a pretty good idea who might stand on the other side of the door.  
"Yeah!" she screamed and ran upstairs to the bathroom. I got up from the couch and went to answer the door.  
The person who stood on the other side of the door, wasn't the person I thought entirely.  
"Sparky…" I said and looked at my best friends husband.  
"Hi Rose." He said and looked very nervous.  
"Look, if Lissa send you here, I don't wanna listen to whatever you have to say. So just go away!" I said and started to slam the door in his face, but he stopped it with his foot.  
"Rose, just shut up and listen to me for once in your life!" he yelled as he barged in, almost making me fall down on my butt.  
"Jesus Christian!" I said surprised to see him like this.  
"I'm sorry, but sometimes you think like you have no brain, instead of getting the proper explanation, and often that makes some people hurt. In this case it is Lissa who's hurting, and when Lissa hurt I hurt." He said and I immediately felt guilty.  
"I'm sorr-", I started but he cut me off.  
"Don't, look I know you've been through a lot, and with him being back I can't even begin to think how you feel. But rose listen to me," he said and came closer, putting both hands on my shoulders, speaking gently to me now.  
"We have all been there for you and Cady through everything, and we always will be. With my aunt and Dimitri being back," I winced when he mentioned his name. "- it doesn't change anything. They're here for a few weeks and then they'll leave. Tasha is my aunt and I love her, but since Dimitri did what he did, all of us have a grudge against him. I mean, he hurt my little Rose, the thorn in my ass." He smiled and nudged my cheek. I looked into his eyes and realized how stupid I'd been. I couldn't describe how bad I felt for acting the way towards Lissa that I had.  
"I'm sorry, can you forgive, will Liss?" I asked unsure whether I'd ruined everything for good this time.  
"Of course we can forgive you, we love you." He said and hugged me.  
"Thank you." I whispered in his ear. If you'd asked me if I thought I would ever be this close with Christian Ozera four years ago, my answer would've been hell no!  
"Uncle Chrissie!" Cady screamed when she realized Christian where here. He let go of me and picked up his favorite niece, also the only and not even by blood.  
"Well hello there pretty girl. Why aren't you dressed?" he asked when he noticed she were only in her underwear.  
"Mommy and I were just filling up the tub, wanna join us uncle Chrissie?!" she asked and clapped her tiny hands.  
"No, he does not wanna join us. Chrissie has to go." I exclaimed immediately while Christian was laughing his butt of.  
"Mommy is right I gotta go." He said handing Cady to me. I kissed her cheek before telling her to go to the bathroom so I could say goodbye to her uncle.  
"So are we all cool again?" Christian asked once Cady was gone.  
"Yeah we're cool." I said and smiled at him.  
"Great! Then I promised Liss, I would invite you and Cady to dinner tonight, we've missed your little perk of a daughter." He laughed nervously, and I had a pretty good idea why.  
"They're going to be there, aren't they?" I asked and he nodded in respond.  
"They're living at our house."  
"Then I'm sorry, but I've got other plans." I said and pushed him friendly in the direction of the door. We might be back to normal but that didn't mean I was ready to face Tasha and _him._  
"Rose please, for Liss." Ow he hit just the right spot for me to give in.  
"Fine! I'll see you later." I said and shut the door. I went to the bathroom to help Cady bathe, while thinking of the most likely horrible night I had in front of me.

…

"Hi Carter." I said, rolling my window down.  
"Hey Rose, how's everything going?" he said not knowing anything about all of my problems inside the house.  
"Great… can you let me in please?" I asked and smiled.  
"Of course." He said and pushed down the button that opened the big iron gate. The driveway was long, not that Liss and Sparky lived in a castle or anything, but it definitely was a decent house, but once at the house I parked the car and went to unbuckle Cady. It wasn't really necessary to drive over here, everything inside court was basically in a walking distance, but with Cady lacking in the energy apartment these days, I figured driving was our best choice.  
Together we walked hand in hand up the three steps to the front door. Cady looked up at me with big eyes, I knew what she was asking and I loved when I could give her what she wanted.  
"Go ahead." I smiled at my daughter as she put her tiny finger over the doorbell, she loved doing that.  
A few seconds flew by before the door was opened.  
"Hello miss Cady!" Lissa laughed giving Cady a big hug before she ran in the living room to find her uncle and the others to play with. She had them all wrapped around her little finger, and if she asked them to jump, they asked how high.  
"Rose I'm so sorr-" she started but I cut her off by giving her the biggest hug I could.  
"Don't Liss. I'm the one who should apologize. I'm so sorry for the way I reacted, I know you had no chance to warn me, but everything just came crumbling down around me, it still kinda does." I sighed not looking up at her, what if she wouldn't forgive me.  
"I know Rose, but I'm sorry too." She said and we looked at each other with forgiveness in both of our eyes.  
"Don't be! God I missed you, are we okay?" I asked and hugged her once again.  
"Of course Rose, I love you!" she said and wiped a tear away from my cheek I didn't even knew was there. I'd become very emotional and cried easily since having Cady, I hated it, but loved my daughter anyway.  
"I love you too Liss." I said and kissed her cheek as she pulled me with her inside.  
"Little Dhamphir." Adrian said once he saw me walk in the living room. I'd already scanned the room, and luckily there was no sight of Dimitri or his scar faced bitch.  
"Adrian." I greeted and hugged him.  
"Where's your beautiful daughter?" he asked and as if she'd been called, Cady came running in our direction.  
"Uncle Adrian!" she said and jumped into his open arms.  
"Hello sweetheart." He said and kissed the top of her head.  
"Will you play with me until dinner's ready?" she asked and tugged his sleeve I the direction of her room. Yeah she had a room at Lissas house, I know weird, but everyone adored Cady and she often spend the night at her aunt and uncle.  
"Of course." He said and threw her over his shoulder, causing my baby to giggle, and the sound made my ears warm, I loved when she did that.  
"Rose. Glad you came." Christian said coming from the kitchen, where I bet the last two guests were standing.  
"Hi Sparky." I said and slapped his arm, he hated when I called him that.  
"Ow what was that for?!" he exclaimed, rubbing the spot where I'd hit him.  
"I don't know, I felt like you needed it." I smiled and gave him a hug to make up for it.  
"Well thanks, I guess." He said and Lissa walked out of the kitchen joining our conversation.  
"Hey babe." Christian said and kissed her lovingly, ugh!  
"Get a room!" I said and pretended to vomit.  
"Jealous?" Christian asked and Lissa just laughed, they stopped kissing though, which was what I'd hoped for.  
"You wish." I said and smiled at both of them.  
"Well dinner's ready, Dora just put it on the table so let's go eat." She said and we started for the dining room. Cady already sat in her own private high chair beside Adrian, trying to pursue him to let her eat with her fingers, while he tried to put her children bib on her. Yeah let's just say Cady ate like her mother. I dared to look around at the other people who sat at the table.  
"Hello Rose, it's so nice to see you again. I'm sad to find out you were coming to the wedding." Tasha said when I locked eyes with her. I just nodded and put a fake smile on my lips, earning me a head shake from the person beside her who knew it was forced… Dimitri. I for the second time to day locked gazes with the man I'd once been willing to give up everything for, and trust me it was two times to many.  
"Roza…" he practically whispered. I shivered and went rigid by the sound of his voice; I hadn't heard it in almost four years. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath… and panicked. I spun around, ready to leave immediately, but I ran smack into Lissa.  
"Rose?!" she said confused and stumbled back a few steps.  
"I'm sorry Liss, I thought I could do this but…," I started but at this point I was practically hyperventilating.  
"Rose calm down, just give it a try please." She tried but I was already trying to shove my body past her. No way in hell could I stay in this house a second longer.  
"Adrian!" I called over my shoulder while looking in the eyes of my best girlfriend.  
"I got her, go." He said and that was all I wanted to hear. I needed out of here and I needed it now.  
I ran past Lissa and out of the house, not bothering with the car. I ran one hundred percent of my maximum, trying to forget everything, and when I finally couldn't run any longer, I found myself in front of the gym.  
I pushed open the double door, and headed for the punching bag in the back. I so needed to burn of some steam.  
I started hitting the damn bag, not even bothering to put on gloves or anything. My fist connected harder and harder with the bag, and soon my knuckles were hurting like heel and bleeding, but I didn't care. I kept going for what felt like hours, before I finally stopped to breathe, only to notice that I wasn't alone in the gym.  
"Thought I'd find you in here, you haven't changed a bit." A voice laced with a russian accent spoke behind me, and the minute I'd smelled the aftershave that filled the room, I'd known who it was before he spoke.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Belikov." I spat and threw a punch at the bag, that made one of my knuckles pop. I winced at the pain but, no way I was being weak in front of him.  
"You just broke your hand Rose." He sighed and I could hear his footsteps coming closer. I turned around and held up my hand, telling him to stay back. I didn't trust myself if he came any closer, and by this point I wasn't sure that I wanted to control my anger towards him.  
"Go away!" I said not looking at him, but at the door behind him.  
"No." he said calmly but determined.  
"What do you want Dimitri?!" I sighed impatiently. I wanted nothing more than to get out of this place, go home, take a bath, and snuggle under the covers.  
"I wanna talk to you." He said.  
"Well I don't wanna talk to you!" I bit and started to walk towards the door. I was almost past him, when he grabbed me by the arm, yanking me to a halt.  
"Let go of me, right now!" I spat and tried to yank my arm out of his grip.  
"Roza…" he sighed.  
"No!" I screamed and he out of surprise let go of my arm, but I didn't head to the doors, not yet.  
"You have no right to call me that, no right! That name is sacred and when you left, you lost every right you'd ever had to use it. I never wanted to have to look at your face again, but yet here you are. And every second you're here, know I'm doing my best not to puke my guts out! You disgust me Dimitri Belikov, I hate you so much there's no words to describe it." I finished screaming and walked away. Leaving him behind in the gym, the only thing I managed to see before I left was the hurt in his eyes. I could care less how he felt, just like he'd never cared how I felt.

…

I unlocked the door to the apartment, slamming it behind me as I walked in.  
I'd called Adrian on my way back here, to make sure he could take Cady off my hands for the night, and he'd assured me that he could handle her for the night and taking care of bringing her to the kindergarten in the morning. He'd of course asked me if I was okay, but when I hadn't answered him, he'd kind of gotten the message.  
I threw my jacket on the kitchen table. I was pissed, so mad that the steam practically stood out of my ears. How dare he just walk in and almost demand to talk to me?! And to top it all off, he calls me my old nickname he used to use when he was passionate for me. It made me sick, sick to see how he could just walk right back into my life like he had. These past four years I'd struggled beyond what words could describe, to just try and forget and get over everything that man did to me.  
I couldn't describe how glad I was that Adrian had taken Cady for the night. If she'd seen me act the way I was in front of her, she would have been scarred to death, and I wanted nothing but to make my daughter feel safe. The first step in that plan would be to protect her from Dimitri, no matter what it took.  
I went upstairs to the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower. I slipped out of my clothes, throwing it in the hamper, before stepping in the steaming hot shower. The feeling of the warm water hitting my sore muscles felt amazing, and when I stepped out of the shower, I felt a lot more relaxed. I dried off; blow dried my hair, putting on some underwear, before looking at myself in the mirror. What on earth had I done to deserve this kind of torture?  
I don't know for how long I stood there looking at my reflection in the mirror. But the longer I stood there, the more hurt, sad and betrayed I felt. How could he sleep with me, tell me he loved and then leave behind like I was only a piece of trash. I'd loved him for God's sake; I would've done everything for him, I would've given up everything to be with him. And I knew deep inside of me, I still loved him. Behind the mask of anger and hate, I loved him. I always had and I probably always would, that was the worst of it all. If I could just hate him with everything I had like I wanted to, he could never hurt me. But even though it had been four years, he still had my heart.  
The tears were streaming down my face at this point. It felt like my heart broke all over again, and as it did, I slid down sitting on the cold bathroom floor with my back to the counter.  
He would never be mine again, he was married to Tasha now, and how he could, only four years after what he had with me, I would never understand. The only explanation must be, that it just didn't matter to him, I didn't matter.

I pulled myself up by the counter, not looking at my tear streaking face, and I went to my bed. My head only just hit the pillow, and I was out as a light.

I tossed and turned that night, not really finding that deep and good sleep, before it was almost dawn. It only felt like I'd gotten a few minutes a sleep, when a little monkey jumped around on top off me.  
"Time to wake up mommy!" The voice of my daughter squirmed as she started jumping up and down on my bed.  
"Yeah it's time to get up little dhamphir." Adrian said and I opened my eyes to find him standing in the doorway. I started to rub the sleep out of my eyes, but when my right hand made contact with my face, I winced in pain. Oh yeah, I'd forgot.  
"Are you okay mommy?" Cady asked and looked worried down at me.  
"Yeah, mommy is fine sweetie. Come here give me a hug." I said and opened my arms for her to crawl in and cuddle.  
"What happened Rose?" Adrian asked and came to sit on the edge of the bed.  
"I ran into Dimitri in the gym." Was all I have to say, and he looked like he understood.  
"oh.."  
"Yep." I said popping the p.  
"I like Dimitri." Cady then said all of a sudden, making a shiver run down my spine. I looked up at Adrian, giving him a look that could kill. I needed to keep Cady away from him, she was way too good for him to have her in his life. And if he wanted a child, I guess he could go make one with Tasha.  
"After we'd eaten dinner, he said he was gonna go for a walk, get some air. I had no idea he would try and seek you out. Anyway, when we were about to leave Lissa and Christians, he came back, and Cady being the tiny curious person she is-", he said and tickled her tummy. "-started asking him questions." He finished.  
"Questions?" I asked, needing him to explain a little further for me, what had she asked him?  
"Questions like, his name, how old he was, which cartoon he liked, oh and the best one, why he was so tall." Adrian laughed and I had to laugh with him.  
"Why am I not surprised. Do you think he-", I started, and looked nervously at Adrian.  
"No, I'm sure of it." he said and I could tell he wanted to say more, but he looked at Cady.  
"Cady honey, why don't you go turn on the TV, I think it's time for the one with the two boys who-", I started.  
"It Phineas and Ferb mommy." She said and looked at me like I was stupid. I kissed her forehead.  
"Right." I said and she left for the living room. Once we were alone, Adrian started speaking again.  
"I'm pretty sure he didn't recognize her in any way you think, but he did look at her for quite some time." he said and I swung my legs over the edge, sitting up.  
"Maybe he just thought she looked like me, I mean have anyone directly told him Cady is mine?" I said trying to make up an excuse.  
"I think you should tell him Rose. I love Cady like she was my own, but she deserves a father in her life."  
"She has that in you, she doesn't need him." I said and took his hand in mine, the one that wasn't broken.  
"We both know that isn't entirely true Rose. Yeah Cady could live without her father, but you, of all people, should know how it is to live almost without any parents." He said and as much as I wanted him to be wrong, I knew he was right.  
"But she has me…" I tried and got up from the bed, and put on some clothes before Adrian spoke.  
"What if something happened to you, I'm not saying there is, but you are a guardian Rose." He said and with that he left. I could hear him say goodbye to Cady before the door first opened then closed.  
I knew Adrian had no intentions of hurting me, by telling me what he just did, but it stung inside of me anyway. I'd always had my mother while growing up, but she'd never really been there for, close together with me when I needed her to. As for my father, I had no idea who the man was. I didn't want that for Cady, but she did have me now, and nothing was gonna happen to me right?  
You don't just forget easily and especially not when it was something as hurtful as what I'd been through. No, Cady was gonna have to do without her father. I'd lived and put my daughter first instead of myself, since she'd been born, this time I needed to think of myself to. If I let Dimitri into his daughters life, I would be letting him into mine to, and that was something I wasn't interested in at all.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

DPOV

I was standing in the kitchen, talking to Tasha about how we would arrange the things around here for our being here, when Lissa told us dinner was ready. We walked to the dining room to find Adrian already sitting at the side of the table with a little girl. She had brown curly hair, dark brown eyes who reminded me of someone I couldn't quite put my finger on. I didn't knew Adrian had gotten himself a daughter, and a beautiful one too.  
Tasha greeted the child and talked a little with her while Adrian sat down beside her, giving me a death glare, and I of course knew why. What I'd done to Rose four years ago, was the biggest mistake of my life, but no matter what I did, even I couldn't turn back time.  
I sat down as the maid came in with dishes with delicious smelling food, beside Tasha. The little girl was trying to persuade him into letting her eat with her finger, as he was trying to put her bib on her. Damn if she'd been my daughter I hadn't been able to stand for those gorgeous puppy eyes she was sending him.  
"No Cady." He said determined and she looked at the table pouting.  
I sensed her before I saw her. She walking in the dining room followed by Lissa and Christian who were holding hands. The minute she realized Tasha and I were there she froze. She was just as beautiful as she'd been when I'd seen her from a distance at the airport. I wasn't doubting the way she felt towards me, but if I could just get to try and talk to her, explain everything and why I'd done as I did, and the situation.  
"Hello Rose, it's so nice to see you again. I was sad to find out you weren't coming to the wedding." Tasha said, yeah I'd been so too, I'd been hoping to see her there, but I also knew Rose well enough to know she wasn't gonna let me talk easily.  
Rose smiled at Tasha, but I could tell it was fake and force. I contained my chuckle but I couldn't not shake my head at her. From the corner of her eye she noticed my head shake and looked at me for the first time, right in the eye. I felt warm inside, looking at her.  
"Roza…" I whispered and if she hadn't been frozen before, she was now. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she spun around and ran smack into Lissa.  
"Rose?!" she said confused and stumbled back a few steps.  
"I'm sorry Liss, I thought I could do this but…," I heard her say, but the rest of their conversation was a mumble, until Rose called over her shoulder.  
"Adrian!".  
"I got her, go." He said and he didn't have to say it twice. Before I could blink Rose was past Lissa and out the door. Tasha squeezed my thigh under the table, knowing how I felt. I felt indescribably bad, for making Rose feel that she couldn't even have dinner here, and I knew she'd left because of me.  
Lissa and Christian walked in, and the look on Lissa face was full of hurt. They sat down and started eating dinner like nothing had happened though.  
"Auntie Lissa, where did mommy go?" The little girl, Cady asked. The minute she spoke the two last words in her sentence, my heart dropped. Cady was Roses daughter.  
"I think mommy just needed some air." Lissa sad her voice full of hurt and regret.  
"Cady sweetie, mommy didn't feel so good, so you're sleeping over at my place tonight, okay." Adrian assured the little girl as he put some food on her plate.  
"Okay…" she said obviously confused about the situation, but who wouldn't be.  
"So Christian-", Tasha started a conversation with her nephew but I cut it off, by starting to leave the table.  
"Excuse me." I said and started for the front door. I heard footsteps fall on the floor behind me and looked over my shoulder to see Ivashkov following me.  
"Belikov." He spat and I turned around.  
"What?"  
"Don't hurt her anymore than you already have." He said and looked at me intensely, before turning around and going back to the dining room. I closed my eyes for a second, dwelling in the past, before leaving out the door.  
I was torn inside. Should I find her and explain, or should I leave her alone so I would never be able to hurt her again. I knew she would hurt when I left, but that she would still be crushed four years later, broke my heart. I'd hoped she would be able to forget and move on.  
I don't know for how long I walked around, but at some point I walked up in front of the court gym. Inside I could hear someone, punching the bean bag, and I had a pretty good idea of who it would be. I pushed open the door, walked in a few steps and just stood there watching her fight with such gracefulness. When she realized she wasn't alone she went rigid.  
"Thought I'd find you in here, you haven't changed a bit" I spoke.  
"Belikov." Ow, that hurt. She didn't turn around when she spoke, instead she threw a big punch at the bag. I heard her knuckle pop, and saw she slightly winced, but that was it.  
"You just broke your hand Rose." I sighed and wanted more than anything to help her. I took a few steps towards her but she stopped me with her hand.  
"Go away!" she said finally turning around, though she wouldn't meet my eyes.  
"No."  
"What do you want Dimitri?!" she sighed.  
"I wanna talk to you." I said. I needed to explain to her why I left and did as I did.  
"Well I don't wanna talk to you!" she bit and started to walk out the gym, but grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.  
"Let go of me, right now!" she yelled and tried to yank her arm out of my grip.  
"Roza…" I sighed, how did things get like this, oh yeah, I ruined them.  
"No!" she screamed, surprising me so I let go of her arm.  
"You have no right to call me that, no right! That name is sacred and when you left, you lost every right you'd ever had to use it. I never wanted to have to look at your face again, but yet here you are. And every second you're here, know I'm doing my best not to puke my guts out! You disgust me Dimitri Belikov, I hate you so much there's no words to describe it." and with that she left. I wiped the single tear that had escaped down my face away. I then went to hit the bag as hard as I could, before I strode out of there, not looking back. I wouldn't talk to her again, even though I loved her with all of my heart. She obviously didn't share the feeling anymore, and I was in a way glad. But the feeling inside of me that outweighed the glad one, was regret. I'd lost her for good, she would never be mine again.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

RPOV

It had been two days since the dinner failure and my run it with Dimitri, two days since I'd last spoken to Lissa. After I'd calmed down from speaking, or rather yelling, at Dimitri, I'd in a way felt betrayed by the way Lissa handled things the other night. Everything had been fine after we made up in the doorway, but I couldn't help feeling that she'd taken Dimitris side in this. She was my best friend; shouldn't she be supporting me through all of this, instead of the man who'd caused me so much pain? It practically felt like she wanted to push me into having dinner with Dimitri and the scar faced bitch, when I just couldn't. All right maybe she didn't understand completely how I felt, but she could at least try and understand.

The wounds on my hands had closed but they were till sore, and since I hadn't seen Lissa the last two days, she hadn't healed my broken knuckle.  
I was putting on a pair of slim black sweat pants and a black top in my bedroom, when someone knocked on the door.  
"Mommy, can I get it?!" Cady screamed from downstairs.  
"Sure, tell whoever it is that I'm coming in a sec." I yelled back to her before going to the bathroom mirror and pulling my hair up and into a ponytail.  
walking down the stairs I could hear Cady chatting happily with the person at the door.  
"Who is it sweetie?" I asked before I could get a look outside the hall.  
"Rose…" Lissa said and gave me a apologizing look.  
"Cady, go play in your room for a while, baby." I said and nudged Cady away from the door.  
"I thought we were going to the gym mommy!" she complained.  
"We are, mommy just need to talk to Lissa okay?" I told her and she moved along to her room.  
"Hi Rose." Lissa said.  
"What do you want Liss?" I said not really feeling the need to talk to her right now.  
"I wanna apologize." She said and shifted her weight from foot to foot.  
"Sounds good Liss, but when people keep apologizing to you, you start thinking that maybe they don't give a shit." I said and started to shut the door, but she stepped in the way.  
"Rose don't be like this." She said. I didn't wanna be mad at Lissa, but lately I'd been growing more and more irritated with her.  
"Like what. Liss I don't know why, but it feels like you're pushing me into all of this stuff, stuff I'm not ready to go into yet." I said and pulled my jacket down from the hanger. I'd agreed to come down to the gym with the other guardians to spar. It was something we did once in a while and everyone loved when I brought Cady, and she loved to be surrounded by people she could easily wrap around her little fingers.  
"I'm not trying to push you into anything." She said as I called Cady back out here to get her jacket on her. "I'm just asking you to give him a chance Rose." She said and I needed to controle myself a lot if I didn't wanna snap in front of my daughter.  
"That's exactly what I mean. Give him a chance!" I hissed as I dragged Cady with me out the door, locking it behind us. We started walking to the car, me holding Cadys hand and Liss trying to keep up with us. We made it down to our car, and as I buckled Cady in her seat Lissa started talking again, much to my disappointment.  
"Rose-", she started but I cut her off by slamming the car door hard, now Cady couldn't hear what I was about to say to her aunt.  
"No Liss! I will not give him a second chance, not even to explain." I yelled as I moved around to the driver's seat.  
"He married Tasha, he doesn't want a chance." I said and started to get in.  
"But Rose he-", Lissa said but I couldn't hear her over the roaming car, as I sped away from her and towards the gym.

…

"Hey Hathaway, you're late!" David, another guardian, called as I walked in with Cady. She started kicking her legs so I put her down so she could go watch and play with the guardians.  
"Yeah, I had a little run in with the queen." I said and went to put on some music, throwing my jacket on the floor.  
"Uhh…" all the guardians, weirdly enough only males wanted to spar with me, laughed.  
"Trouble in paradise?" David asked cocky. He was the guardian I came along best with, not that I didn't enjoy myself around the others, but David was pure eye candy.  
"Guess you can say that." I smiled and gave him my man eater smile, it made his knees wobble every time. I flipped through the songs on the computer hooked to the speaker, and decided to go with Gimme more by Britney Spears.  
"Gonna dance for us today Hathaway?!" David yelled along with all the others. Sometimes I enjoyed to tease them, I would dance along with all of the guys, giving them a private show of what Rosemarie Hathaways hips were capable of.  
"For you I just might." I said to him seductively. It was then that I noticed Dimitri walk in. he was about to walk right back out, but his eyes ran over me, and I guess he decided to stay and enjoy the show. I found out where Cady was, safe with the old and now retired guardian Hans who probably told her storied about strigoi, before going to the middle of the floor.

I started moving my hips, first slowly and sexually before picking up the pace, from side to side. When Britney started singing I moved my arms up my body, running them slowly through my hair.

_Every time they turn the lights down,__  
__Just want to go that extra mile for you.__  
__You public display of affection,__  
__Feels like no one else in the room but you._

I started moving my feet to the beat of the song, making my moves sexy and sensual from the tip of my toes to my fingertips. My hips were moving in circle as I danced inside the circle the guys had formed around me.

_We can get down like there's no one around,__  
__We'll keep on rockin' (We'll keep on rockin').__  
__We'll keep on rockin' (Keep on rockin'),__  
__Cameras are flashin' while we're dirty dancin'.__  
__They keep watching (They keep watching),__  
__Keep watching._

I looked around, sliding my eyes over Dimitri who stood by the wall away from the others, before locking my eyes with David, winking at him.  
"Oh Hathaway you drive me crazy." He sighed as I took his hand in mine and pulled him after me onto the "dance floor". I placed him in the middle, started dancing around him, moving closer and closer until, my body was rubbing against his. Hey a girl had her needs to, and I could feel David did too!

_Gimme, Gimme More,__  
__Gimme, More.__  
__Gimme, Gimme, More,__  
__Gimme, Gimme More.__  
__Gimme, More,__  
__Gimme, Gimme, More.__  
__Gimme, Gimme More,__  
__Gimme, More.__  
__Gimme, Gimme, More,__  
__Gimme, Gimme More.__  
__Gimme, More,__  
__Gimme, Gimme, More._

His hands were now all over my body, still aware that we were in public. Nothing romantically or sexually was going on between the two of us, but we were young and just having fun. When they started moving up my stomach, towards my breast, I'd had enough, especially in front of Dimitri, who, out of the corner of my eye, was clenching his fist and looking intently at David. Take that one Belikov.  
"Enough, I wanna spare." I said and broke out of the circle, heading for the mats. David followed me close behind as I stepped onto the mat.  
"So it's your time to get your ass handed to you ha' Riggins?" I laughed as I stretched my neck.  
"You wish Hathaway." He said and we started circling. I decided that I might as well make the first move, there was no need to drag this out. The more asses I could kick today, the better my day would be. I moved closer landing a kick to his stomach, which made him stumble back, almost falling on his butt. He gathered himself, and tried to land some blows to my face, which I blocked all of them.  
"Come on, that's all you got?!" I said and landed a blow to the side of his face. He ran towards me in another kicking madness, managing to land a few hits, and I stumbled. He pushed me to the mat, hovering over me.  
"I think I win." He breathed as he leaned down closer.  
"You think?" I asked when he was inches away, and I rolled us over, punching my fist into his abdomen, making him groan.  
"Damn it Hathaway!" he said irritated.  
"I always kick your ass Riggins." I laughed and punched his chest playfully. His eyes shifted from mine to something behind me.  
"My turn." A voice laced with a Russian accent spoke. My blood ran cold, and I froze on top of David.  
"Hey you're Roses old mentor, right?" he asked and I got of off him, not turning around to face the bastard behind me.  
"That's right." He said helping David up from the floor.  
"Man this is gonna be sweet!" he said and went off the mat.  
"What do you say Rose?" Dimitri asked. I turned around, and the look on his face surprised me. he actually looked affectionate for me. Well maybe my little dance had turned him on; I knew it had some of the other mankind in this room.  
"Bring it on Comrade." I said and a smile appeared on his lips. We both crouched down and started circling each other.  
"Fuck me sideways!" I exclaimed when the song changed to Cascadas Every Time We Touch. I looked towards the computer, so my eyes weren't on his face, but I swear I heard him say he'd love to. I shoved the thought away, and focused on the task I had in front of me.  
I crouched down and he did the same.  
"Let me see what you got." He teased and lunged out for me, but I ducked, escaping his blow.  
"That's all you got Belikov?!" I spat, and the guardians around us ooh'ed. He lunged for me again and I again ducked. I tried to kick his legs out from underneath him, but he jumped. Damn, we could go on like this for a long time.  
"Come on Rose." He said and managed to land a blow to the side of my face, making me stumble back. We went on like that for a long time, me landing a couple blows on him and the same the other way around. We could both read each other's next move, before we actually made them, but one good thing had came out of him leaving four years ago. I had learned new moves that he didn't know about, and using the moves he didn't would be the only way I could win this fight.  
I pretended to wanna hit him on the side of the face, forcing him to duck. I then swung my leg, a bout thirty centimeters over the mat, knocking his feet out from underneath him. He landed with an oomph on the floor, and I threw myself down over him, straddling him before he could get up. The look on his face and the feel of his body underneath mine stunned me for a second and a shiver ran down my spine. He took advantage of my moment of weakness, rolling us over so he now was straddling me. I looked up into his chocolate brown eyes, and they were filled with… lust? This time it was my turn to take advantage of him zooming out. I again rolled us over, maybe kneeing him in the balls on our way over, before close to the side of the face. My lips were inches from his ear, my hands "staking" his heart, when I whispered.  
"Congratulations." Not moving my face away from his, his aftershave making me dizzy.  
"You won?" he whispered confused, leaning even closer.  
"With you and Tasha's wedding." I whispered and hold my breath.  
"Rose, I didn't marry Tasha." He said…_  
___


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"_Congratulations." Not moving my face away from his, his aftershave making me dizzy.  
"You won?" he whispered confused, leaning even closer.  
"With you and Tasha's wedding." I whispered and hold my breath._  
_ "Rose, I didn't marry Tasha." He said…_

0o0o0

"What?" my voice barely a whisper. I'd shot back when the words had left his mouth.  
"I didn't marry Tasha, it wasn't my wedding." He said and stood up too, taking my hands in his.  
"But…" I gasped, completely lost for words. If he hadn't married Tasha, why hadn't Lissa told me so?  
"Did you seriously think I was the one who married her? I could only ever marry one person, Rose." He whispered and tucked a lock of my hair, behind my ear. The feel of his fingers touching my face, made tiny sparks flew through me, just like it had four years ago.  
That brought me back. That feeling belonged four years ago, it wasn't real now. I didn't want it to be real.  
"Don't…" I said my voice barely a whisper. None of the guardians knew about Dimitris and I relationship, other than student and mentor, but I think they sensed the tension in the air, and they'd left. Hell the tension was thick enough for me to slide my stake through it. Only a few guardians had moved to the dummies, taking Cady with them.  
"Don't what?" he asked as I pulled my hands out of his. I couldn't deal with him at the moment. I was angry at him, right? Hell yeah I was!  
"Don't come back here, and pretend that everything's okay." I said, trying to control myself as much as possible.  
"I'm not, but Rose, you need to let me explain." He begged and cupped my face with his hand, which I unwillingly leaned into before composing myself. I closed my eyes before speaking again.  
"You could've explained back then, Dimitri. Before you left." I said sadly and removed his hand from my face. I walked over to my friends on the other side of the gym, leaving him still standing on the mat.  
"Come on baby." I said and picked up my daughter ready to walk out the gym, not before I'd received some worried gazes from the guys.

…

I dropped Cady of at the kindergarten the next morning, before I went to work, and by work I meant to hang out with Lissa. We still hadn't talked since yesterday, but I needed her to explain to me why she hadn't told me that it wasn't Dimitri who'd married Tasha.  
"Rose, didn't think you would shove up today." Liss said as she opened the door for me, and walked back inside without even looking at me.  
"Yeah, me neither." I sighed before walking in, closing the door behind me.  
"Liss we need to talk." I said as I followed her upstairs and into her office, where she sat down and started looking through some papers.  
"Aha…" she said, and boy those papers must be interesting, since she didn't even spare me a glance.  
"Lissa!" I said and she finally looked up at me, with a look that told me she couldn't care less what I had to talk to her about.  
"What do you want to talk about Rose?" she sighed frustrated.  
"I wanna talk about the wedding, you know the one you went to not so long ago. The one that you forgot to tell me wasn't Dimitris!" I ended up yelling at Lissa, while I stood hovering above her, our bodies only separated by her big expensive desk.  
"Oh, the one I forgot, of course!" Lissa exclaimed and stood up to, and since she was taller than me, she was the one to be hovering above now.  
"Yeah, that one! Liss you know how difficult I've had it with this, why didn't you tell me?" I demanded from my best friend.  
"The reason I didn't tell you, was because you never let me, never let any of us. Rose I've been trying to tell you ever since we got back, but every time I'm about to, you run away or start doing something else!" she finished of screaming at me. I just stood there, stunned. How could I've been so stupid?! I didn't know what to say to her.  
"Oh…" I murmured and dumped back down on the chair.  
"Yeah, oh is about right." Lissa said and sat down to. It felt like hours went by before one of us spoke, and that one of us being me.  
"I'm sorry… how could I have been so stupid!" I said, the last part directed to me.  
"I'd been starting to wonder that myself." Lissa sighed and leaned back in her comfy leather chair. We both just sat there for several minutes, the tension slowly dying down.  
"I truly am sorry Liss. It's just… I've had so much on my mind lately with Dimitri being back and Cady being sick, you know?" I tried, needing her forgiveness.  
"I'm very well aware of that Rose, I just wished you would have listened to me…" she trailed off obviously upset. I felt so bad for being the cause of all of this; she wouldn't have been upset to begin with if I hadn't ignored her.  
I rose from my chair and went to sit down on Lissas lap.  
"I'm sorry Liss." I said sincerely and gave her my puppy eyes, even pouting my lips at her.  
"Argh.. Rose you know I can't stay mad at you." She chuckled and pulled me into a hug. I'd missed this kind of contact with Lissa, which we hadn't been able to have in a long time.  
"Works every time." I joked as I went to sit down in the other chair again, not escaping Lissas hand as she punched my arm.  
"So what do we need to get done today?" I asked as Lissa returned to the papers on her desk, myself turning my attention on my nails. I was immediately distracted though, since Lissa abruptly slammed her papers down on the table, standing up and almost knocking the chair over.  
"You know what? I don't feel like working today, what do you say about we go get mani-pedies?"  
"I think that sounds like a great idea!" I laughed and we left for the salon, to go spend some girl time.

…

We were at the salon, people working on our feet and hands. I'd decided to go with the regular French manicure, I didn't find it appropriate for me as guardian to run around with crazy nails, like the ones Lissa was getting done at the moment.  
"So how is Cady by the way? I haven't seen her in like forever!" Lissa complained, even though it had only been like a day since she'd seen my baby.  
"She alright, for now at least. I need to call the doctor tomorrow, he must have gotten the test results back, right?" I asked. I was as always worried about Cady. The last couple of day she'd been fine though tired, always so tired. The doctor was supposed to call me when he received the results but I impatient.  
"I guess, but it's a good sign that she's feeling well." Lissa said trying to cheer me up.  
"I guess but she's just so tired all the time." I said as the workers in the salon finished up our nails.  
"Yeah but I think it's only natural Rose. I mean she's not like every other girl, maybe her immune system isn't as strong as yours?" she tried suggesting when we walked out of the salon.  
"Maybe…" I trailed of. Looking down at me's just so tired all the time." I said as the workers in the salon finished up our nails.  
"Yeah but I think it's only natural Rose. I mean she's not like every other girl, maybe her immune system isn't as strong as yours?" she tried suggesting when we walked out of the salon.  
"Maybe…" I trailed off. Looking down at my watch I realized it was time to pick Cady up form daycare.  
"I gotta go pick up Cady." I said as I gave Lissa a hug goodbye.  
"Okay. Hey Rose, why don't the two of you come over for dinner tonight?" Liss asked just as I was about to walk away.  
"Yeah sure, as long as a certain Russian isn't there." I said and she smiled apologetically at me.  
"He won't be, promise!" she said.  
"Okay. Oh more thing Liss. Who did Tasha marry?" I needed to know, and to understand why she would be here with Dimitri if they weren't married.  
"She married a man named Jack, he's a moroi business man in Illinois, he has a big property there." She explained. I knew there was way more to the story, but now wasn't the time, I needed to pick up Cady.  
"Oh okay, we'll talk later Liss. See you." I said.  
"See you later Rose." She said and I hurried in the direction of the daycare center.

"Mommy, mommy!" Cady yelled the minute she saw me walk in the door.  
"Hi sweetie, you wanna go home?" I asked her as I kissed the top of her head. She was in the middle of eating a banana so her hands and face was sticky.  
"Let's just go wash your hands and mouth, then we're outta here." I said, scooping Cady up in my arms, making her chuckle, and oh I loved the sound.

Once back in our own apartment, Cady started packing her little backpack with a few of her toys that she was convinced she could live through dinner without.  
I was I the kitchen doing some dishes that I didn't have time for in the morning, when Cady pulled my feet away from underneath me, by asking me a question.  
"Mommy can you find me a daddy?" She asked looking up at me with her big brown eyes, a sad expression filled her beautiful face.  
"Why do you say that baby?" I asked and crouched down to her level.  
"Mayas daddy came to pick her up from daycare." She said and looked down, there was obviously more to the story than she was telling me.  
"Cady you can tell me, I love you." I said and pulled up her chin with my finger, kissing her nose.  
"Nelly started bullying me, saying that I didn't have a daddy and that he had run away because he didn't want me." she finally said and I could see the tears building in her eyes. It broke my heart to see my daughter this sad.  
"Don't listen to her Cady. Even though your daddy isn't here he and I both love you very much." I said, not knowing what Dimitri would feel for Cady if he ever found out she was his daughter.  
"I wished he was here mommy…" she sighed and leaned into me for a hug. I felt the tears build in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.  
"Me too baby, me too…" I said.

"Can I knock mommy?" Cady asked cheerfully as we walked up the steps to Lissa and Sparkys front door, after parking the car.  
"Sure honey." I said. it was Christian who opened the door, and he immediately had Cady in his arms.  
"Well hello little missy." He chuckled and hugged the life out of Cady. The sight in front of me made my heart melt a little; Cady deserved a father figure in her life, not just Sparky and Adrian.  
"Uncle Chrissie!" Cady laughed when he kissed her cheek before putting her down again.  
"Hi Sparky." I said and walked in along with my daughter.  
"Rose." He greeted and closed the door behind us.  
The dinner went along smoothly. It was just the four of us, so not anything big, since we often had dinner at their house. I cleaned the dishes along with Lissa, while Christian gave Cady a bath upstairs. Cady always wanted a bath when we were over here, she saw Christian as her bathing buddy, and I thought it was kinda cute.  
"So Liss, tell me about the wedding please, I need the details." I said while I dried of the dishes Lissa had just washed before she put them away.  
"Well, as you already know, we went to a wedding we only knew was Tashas. Turns out that she's been dating this business man, Jack Sprouse, for the last three years, and he'd proposed to her, you know how that works. Well, the wedding was on this beautiful beach in Hawaii, and Tasha looked great. He's actually very nice, Jack. We only talked to him and Tasha for a brief moment, it was a big wedding and they had other guest to turn to. It was a great party too, the food was delicious, though not everyone enjoyed it." she stopped and looked at me for a sign to continue.  
"Huh? Oh, go on." I said and hang the towel back on the rank.  
"Well Dimitri looked kinda down the entire night, I think he'd hope to see you there Rose." Well that was why she'd stopped talking.  
"Spare me Liss." I said and leaned again the kitchen counter.  
"Fine, but I think you should talk to him Rose, let him explain." She tried but I held up my hand to stop her, I didn't need this right now.  
"Liss, I'm not ready, give me some time."  
"Sure Rose, but give him a chance to talk his case, promise me?" she asked.  
"Fine!" I said giving up, at least I didn't have a deadline.  
"So onto the story. Well when we were about to board our plane, Tasha and Dimitri comes running up to us, their hands full with their luggage. It turns out that the newly weeds had to postpone their honeymoon, since jack had to attend some business meetings in New York. Tasha thought it would be a great opportunity for her to spend time with Christian, so they came along before we could say anything. And well here we are." She finished and we had now moved into the living room where we sat talking on the couches.  
"I'm glad you told me, though you could've let out the Dimitri being sad part." I chuckled and sipped my coffee.  
"Yeah well, I just thought you should know." Liss said and at that moment Christian came down carrying Cady.  
"What have you done to my daughter?" I exclaimed and stood up."  
"Shh!" he hushed me. "She fell asleep."  
"Oh she's so cute! I want one too!" Lissa said to Christian as he handed Cady over to me. his eyes looked terrified so I took that as me cue to leave.  
"Buy guys." I said, not waking up Cady before I went home to tuck my baby in…


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Hello Guardian Hathaway, what can I do for you today?" the receptionist behind the front desk said, unfortunately I'd forgotten her name.  
"Eh… I came here to talk to doctor,-", damn it, I'd also forgotten his name. "- Messer?", I tried and by the look on the receptionist desk, I hadn't guessed the name correctly. Luckily Cadys doctor walked out of his office at that moment, saving me from further humiliation.  
"Oh Rose, hello, I was just about to call you." He said and came over to shake my hand.  
"Hello doctor Balestra." The receptionist greeted her boss and I sent her a thankful smile, which she amusingly returned.  
"Hello doctor, you gotten the test results back from the lab?" I asked as he led me into his office and we sat down at his big wooden desk.  
"Yes, I've gotten the results back. Unfortunately the Court Lab haven't been able to figure out what's wrong with your daughter. That along with the fact that Cady is special, having to dhamphirs for parents, I would recommend you to try and seek help at a human hospital. Her numbers is similar to the human numbers, more than they are to dhamphire numbers." He finished off and I was shocked. I had counted on finding out the problem with Cady when I went here. Usually there wasn't anything the Moroi doctors and scientist couldn't figure about, but like doctor Balestra had just said, Cady was indeed special.  
"So you're saying that I should take her to see a human doctor, at a hospital?" I asked trying to understand what he'd just told me.  
"Exactly. I can't promise you an answer, but maybe they can figure out what's wrong with Cady. There's a human moroi hospital in California, I suggest you take her there. Some of the doctors there are moroi, so the humans won't notice anything different about her." He finished of and scribbled something down on a piece of paper.  
"Here, it's the address and a phone number for Saint Jules Hospital in Santa Barbara California. I'll give them a call too, so they'll know you're coming." He said and shook my hand in goodbye along with handing me over the piece of paper.  
"Okay, thank you doctor." I said and left the clinic, more confused and worried than before I went in.

…

After getting back from the clinic, I'd gone to Lissa to talk out my frustrations about the entire situation. She told me that she wanted to pay for the treatment and examination that Cady might have to go through in California. I was hesitant about letting her pay the entire trip and everything else, but more than anything else, I wanted my daughter to get well, and there was no way I could pay everything myself.  
"Rose, I think you should go home for the rest of the day. Spend some time with Cady and relax, I'll start arranging the trip immediately." Lissa said and practically pushed me out of the door. But she was right though, I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but Cady at the moment.  
I picked Cady up at the daycare center early since I now didn't have to work for the day. She was happy to see me, though she wasn't stupid. She'd the minute I'd walked in the door asked me questions about why I was picking her up this early. I'd lied to her, though I didn't like it, and told her that Lissa just gave me the day of because she had some meetings to attend to. Cady believed in me and bought the story, happy that she could go home and play with her mother for the rest of the day.  
I took her back to the apartment and feed her some lunch, while she babbled away about her friends at the daycare center. She was especially fond of her new friend Jason, whom she'd build sandcastles with all day apparently.  
I spent some time cleaning the apartment, vacuuming and such stuff, while Cady played with some dolls in her room.  
I was sitting on the chair by our dining room table, about to text Lissa if she'd talked to the hospital yet, when Cady came running into the room, jumping up on my lap.  
"Mommy, can we go to the playground?" She asked looking up at me with her big brown eyes who reminded me so much of her father.  
"Sure baby, let me just text auntie Lissa and then we'll go, okay?" I said and finished texting to Lissa so I could go spend some quality time playing with my beautiful daughter.  
I had just locked up the apartment door and walked out in the street with Cady when I saw him.  
"Mommy look, that's the tall man from auntie Lissas!" Cady squirmed and pointed her finger at Dimitri who was walking on the other side of the road.  
"Cady it's not nice to point fingers at people." I explained to her, while crossing my finger that he hadn't seen or heard us. Unfortunately for me he had, and he was crossing the street to come to us.  
"Hello little miss Cady." He said and smiled at my daughter who stood with big eyes admiring the man in front of her, no idea that it was her father.  
"Hello Dimitri." She said and gave him her admiring smile.  
"Rose." He said and averted his eyes to me, looking at me with such love in his eyes my knees almost buckled.  
"Hi." I said not knowing what else to say; we were in public so I couldn't really tell him to fuck off.  
"Me and mommy was on our way to the playground, you wanna come?" Cady asked and I mentally slapped myself, why had I raised her so well?  
Dimitri crouched down to her level, before speaking again, poking her in her tummy.  
"Well Cady, don't you think we should ask your mommy first?" he said to her, but looked up at me, as if to ask if I wanted him to. Did I? Did I want him to spend time with me and Cady, like we would if we really were the family I'd many times dreamed we were?  
"She doesn't mind, right mommy." Cady said with a big smile looking up at me, how could I say no to her.  
"Sure, he can come." I said and tried to hide how unhappy I was with him really coming with us. I was scared that I might start feeling things that I didn't want to, or that he figured everything out with Cady.  
"Let's go!" Cady squirmed with happiness and started running in the direction of the playground, that wasn't too far away from our home.  
I was about to start after Cady so I could keep an eye at her when she started to climb the fort, when I felt his fingers on my bare arms, stopping me from going anywhere.  
"Rose, I won't come with you guys if you don't want me to, I don't want to make you uncomfortable." He said and looked into my eyes sincerely.  
"You can come; Cady will be disappointed if you don't. And you don't make me uncomfortable… that much at least." I added making a smile play on his lips, and I wondered how his lips would feel on my after all this time. I scolded myself for thinking like that.  
"Okay then." He said and together we walked in the direction of the swings were Cady was playing in the sand.  
"Mommy, Dimitri look!" Cady yelled from the swings, showing us how high she could make it go.  
"Careful Cady." I told her, knowing that she could care less about my opinion right now. She had her eyes set on her newest goal, impressing Dimitri. I looked at him, and the look he had in his eyes confused me a little. I could see that Cady already had impressed him, and practically had him wrapped around her fingers, but then why did he look… sad?  
"You okay?" I asked and bumped him with my elbow to get his attention.  
"Yeah. She looks just like you." He said and smiled down at me. I had to bite down on my tongue so I wouldn't say who I thought she looked like.  
"Yeah she does a little." I admitted and sat down on a park bench behind us, Dimitri followed and sat beside me.  
"A little?! Rose she's all you!" he exclaimed and chuckled. I liked him when he did that. The moment we shared right now almost made it… normal, apart from everything.  
"So…" he started to say, but I cut him off before he could go too far. I needed to make him see where we stood, if 'we' stood anywhere.  
"Look Dimitri I don't think…-", I said but this time he cut me off.  
"No Rose, just listen to me. All I wanna do is explain, I don't expect things to just go back to the way they were." Well good cause I didn't either.  
"I know I hurt you-",  
"Oh you did? Glad you told me!" I couldn't not comment on that, I'm Rose Hathaway for crying out loud.  
First he didn't respond, though his fists were clenched, making his knuckles white. Yeah that's right comrade, forgiveness isn't easy, at all. But then his mouth got the best of him.  
"Look Rose can you just listen to what I have to say, you think you can do that much?" he asked obviously getting a little irritated with me.  
"Fine, talk then!" I said and threw up my hands, just to add to the effect.  
"The reason I left after our night in the cabin-", he started and looked at me. I could feel the emotions starting to rise inside of me, remembering the night I first had sex, we first had sex.  
"… I wanted to protect you Rose, that was my only intention. I knew that you would get hurt in the process, but I also knew you would get over it-", you're wrong about that Comrade, I thought to myself.  
"- With time.." he added seeing my frustration.  
"I knew I was standing in your way Rose. In the way of you ever being able to guard Lissa 100%. In the way of you ever achieving your dreams. Or at least that was what I thought…" he trailed of, taking my left hand in his, not looking me in the eye though.  
"Rose when I left I thought I made the right decision, but I know better now." He looked into my eyes and they were full of hurt and regret.  
"I've never stopped loving you Rose." He finished and a tear ran slowly down my cheek, before he wiped it away with his hand. I didn't want to cry, but him ripping up in them, made all the hurt flow right back.  
"Please say something Roza." Ah there ran another tear.  
"What do you want me to say Dimitri?" I asked and dried of the tears that were now flowing down my face.  
"I want you to say that you forgive me…" he whispered as he cupped my face with his hands, putting our foreheads together. How did I get this close to the man who'd hurt me so bad four years ago. A few days ago I was fighting with him, or yelling at him to be more exact.  
"I can't…" I whispered and closed my eyes. Even though I wasn't ready to forgive him, I didn't want him to let go of me either.  
"I understand. But I'm not gonna stop before you're mine Rose. I know I got to prove a lot to you, to earn your trust, and I'm gonna do that. Whatever takes Rose, I'll do, believe that." He said and cupped my face a little tighter, without hurting me though.  
"I do believe that, but I'm not sure I can forget." I said and looked into his brown and beautiful eyes.  
"I'm not asking you to forget Rose, all I'm asking for is your forgiveness. I know I made a mistake, but I can't change it. I'll do anything in my power to earn your forgiveness, but I know you'll never forget how much I hurt you. It pains me every day to know what you've been though, and that I was the one to put you in it.  
There's no one else for me out there Rose, I don't know if there is for you…-", he said looking at Cady. "- but for me there isn't. I love you Rose and I don't expect you to say it back after what I did to you. I just thought you should know that I'm not giving up. People makes mistakes, even me." he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.  
"I'm glad you explained, that I let you. But Dimitri it doesn't change anything. You didn't hurt me, you broke me, and ever since that, I haven't been the same. I'm not the girl you made love to at the academy, she grew up." I ended up whispering so the tears wouldn't start to flow again, but when I looked into his pained eyes, there was nothing I could do to hold them back.  
"It might not change anything for you, but it changes everything for me. No matter where or how you are, you'll always be my Roza." He said and then did something that surprised me. He leaned closer until our lips were only inches apart before he stopped, as if asking my permission. I was frozen; I wanted to feel his lips on mine so badly. I guess he took me not doing anything as a yes. Cause I felt his lips touch mine a second after. They were sweet, gentle and fit perfectly against mine. He didn't push it, all he did was kiss me, showing me how much he loved me. and boy had I missed kissing the man I once loved.  
Before I knew it, it was over and he had leaned back and taken my hands in his again.  
"If you don't mind, I'm gonna go play with your beautiful daughter." He said and left to go play with Cady.  
He left me on the bench stunned. I could still feel his lips on mine as if they'd never left.  
Dimitri lifted Cady up on the slide, all while she giggled like crazy. They were both one big smile, and it warmed my motherly heart to see my daughter interact like that with her father, even though none of them knew he was. I'd hate to admit it, but I'd been a little scarred that Dimitri would hate Cady, thinking she was the offspring of me and some moroi like the story was. But it really looked like he liked her, and so did she, like him I mean.  
After Cady had had enough on the playground, Dimitri asked if he could buy her an ice cream, and since Cady heard him ask, I couldn't say no. so that was where we was now, the three of us sitting outside of the ice cream parlor, watching Cady eat her ice with much joy.  
I had just been looking down for a few seconds, checking my phone, when Cady started crying like someone had hit her. Immediately Dimitri and I were both on our feet and by her side.  
"Baby what happened?!" I asked frantically needing to know what had happened to my baby. She cried so hard that she wasn't capable of saying anything.  
"Cady sweetheart, you need to breathe." Dimitri hushed as he crouched down to get closer to her.  
"Breathe, in and out…" he said and cupped her face, calming her down. And that was when we both saw it. the blood that started flowing out of her nose…


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

…

"_Breathe, in and out…" he said and cupped her face, calming her down. And that was when we both saw it. The blood that started flowing out of her nose…_

…

We were running, and I don't remember the last time I'd run this fast. Cady lay unconscious in the arms of Dimitri, who ran a few meters in front of me.  
We both bursted through the doors to the medical clinic at the same time.  
"Help! We need help!" Dimitri yelled and doctors and nurse streamed into the waiting room. Before I could blink, doctors and nurses had taken Cady away from Dimitris arm and taken her into the emergency room. Everything happened so fast, kind of like in a blur. People were yelling and handling out orders, but all I could think about was my daughters well being.  
"I need to be with her!" I screamed and started running to where they held Cady.  
"No, guardian Hathaway, you need to stay out here." A nurse said, putting her hands on my chest, keeping me away from the emergency room.  
"No, get out of the way!" I cried out and was almost past her, when strong arms grabbed me and yanked me back.  
"No!" I cried and tried to get out of the death grip I'd been put in, but the arms of my captivator were stronger than me.  
"Rose, calm down." Dimitri spoke softly in my ear.  
"No! I need to be with her, I promised I'd never leave her!" I cried and the tears streamed down my face as I continued to struggle against him.  
"You're not leaving her. They need to work on her and you'll only be in the way." He tried to pull me with him out of the medical clinic, but I couldn't just leave my baby in there, in a room full of strangers!  
"No! Let me go!" I cried.  
"Roza…" and that did it. Him calling me my old nickname, in a situation like this, made me break down, and all the emotions make their way out.  
I turned around and sobbed into the warm muscular chest that I missed so much. I think I felt Dimitri lift me up, bridal style, and carry me out of there. I didn't have the energy to do anything but just let him. I had spent all of my powers trying to get to Cady, even though I knew Dimitri and the nurses were right, I would only be in the way.  
I silently cried the entire way back, to what must've been my apartment. Dimitri opened the door, walked in and put me down on my bed.  
"Sleep…" he ordered from above me as he took my shoes off, before pulling up the covers, tucking me in.  
"Dimitri?" I whispered when he turned around to leave. He leaned down to my face only inches away, knowing I didn't have much of a voice left after screaming and crying.  
"Is she gonna be okay?" I asked with my eyes closed.  
"I don't know Roza, I don't know." He said before kissing my forehead. With that I passed out from worry and exhaustion.

…

_Blood! It was everywhere. In a pool on the floor, around the table where a little girl lay, her heat not beating.  
I walked further into the room, until I bumped against the table. The girl had brown, curly shoulder length hair, her face reminded me of someone I couldn't quite put my finger on. Her tiny body lay naked, covered in open flesh wounds, where scalpels and other medical tools had been left in her, when they'd lost her. I looked back up at her face, and for some reason, I first really saw her eyes now. They were big, brown pools of chocolate… they were the eyes of Cady, my daughter._

…

"Cady!" I screamed and jerked up in the bed. I needed to get to her, and I needed to get to her now.  
I threw the covers away and almost tripped multiple times on my way out of the bedroom, while trying to put my shoes on. Finally I made it into the kitchen, and just as I was about to pull the door open, my guardian senses took over. I wasn't alone in the apartment; someone was in the living room. I grabbed my stake from the kitchen counter, before I tip toed towards my target. When I looked through the doorway and into the living room, there was no one there. I knew it couldn't be a strigoi, I would've sensed that a long time ago.  
I walked in further, my stake raised, ready for any attack towards me.  
"Rose what are you doing?" Someone asked behind me. I span around so fast that I almost got dizzy.  
"Dimitri?! What the fuck, you scared the crap out of me!" I yelled as I punched him in the chest and put my stake in my waist band.  
"I'm sorry." He said and tried not to laugh.  
"This is not funny! Why are you here?" I asked as I picked up my jacket.  
"Well I dragged you back here last night, and…-", he started but I waved him off with my hand.  
"I don't have time for you, I need to be with Cady." I said and started out the door.  
"Are you getting outta there or what?!" I hissed and pulled him out of my apartment before locking the door behind me. As I got down on the sidewalk, Dimitri following close behind me, I started walking in the direction of the medical clinic. I was still pissed at Dimitri for dragging me outta there last night.  
"Rose Cady is not at the clinic." Dimitri said calmly.  
"What?! Then where is she?" I asked and walked back to where he was standing.  
"Adrian brought Cady to Lissas place, she's resting out there." He said and pulled out his car keys.  
"Get in…" he said, without smiling as he got in the car, and I followed like he said.

"Where is she?!" I yelled when I walked in the door at Lissa and Christians place.  
"Well hello to you too Rose!" Christian chuckled, but stopped when Lissa elbowed him in the guts.  
"She's upstairs, follow me." Lissa said and took my hand, leading me upstairs and into the guestroom, where Cady lay on the bed, sleeping heavily. I sat down on the side of the bed and took her tiny warm hand in mine. I was relieved that it was warm, meaning that there was life in her. I hate to admit it but that nightmare had freaked me out a little.  
I tucked a lock of her soft hair behind her ear, before leaning down and kissing her forehead.  
"What did they do to fix her?" I asked and became aware of a tear that silently had escaped down my cheek, before I brushed it away.  
"Well, first they stopped her bleeding and made sure that she didn't have any internal bleeding. They ran some test but-".  
"The answer was the same as it's always been." I finished for her, looking donw at my daughter, _oh Cady what's wrong with you?_  
"Yeah, Rose I'm sorry." She said and put her hand supporting on my shoulder.  
"Don't be." I said and tried to smile up at her but fail.  
We left the room together, letting Cady get her rest, and Lissa pulled me with her into her office.  
"Rose I need to tell you something, as my head guardian." She said when we sat down.  
"Shoot." I said and tried to focus on my job instead of Cady, for just a second.  
"Well I know this is a bad time, Cady being sick and everything, but there's been strigoi sightings near court." She said and I instantly went into my guardian mode.  
"Kind of is a bad time, but how close, give me all the details." I said and prepared my brain to remember any information about to come.  
"Rose I can have one of the other guardians take care of this, if you wanna be with Cady. I completely get it." she said.  
"Liss I need the distraction, trust me. I probably will need to be a little extra with her, but if I don't keep up with my job as protecting you, I'll go crazy, and so will Cady if I don't let her spend time with her favorite uncle." I said referring to Adrian.  
"Fine, but if you need me to take you off, just say it!" she said and pointed her thin finger at me, letting me know she was _very_ serious.  
"Fine Liss, now can we get to the point?" I asked getting impatient.  
"Fine! Two days ago, a human family was attacked and killed by strigoi when they loaded their groceries into their car after shopping." Lissa read aloud from a report written about the incident.  
"The attack took place on the parking lot in front of wall-mart ten miles from The Royal Moroi Court."  
"So what does this mean?" I asked.  
"Well, it means we need to keep and extra eye out for strigoi, and level up our guards and wards." She explained.  
"Okay, what about we-", I started but she cut me off.  
"David and the other guardians already came up with the plan and a schedule Rose."  
"What! That's my job!" I complained.  
"I know, but Cady was sick and I didn't want to stress you further." She apologized and I couldn't stay mad at her.  
"Fine, what's the schedule?" I asked and she handed me a piece of paper as my answer.  
"Great, I'll just take my daughter and I'll see you later." I said as I started to walk out of the office.  
"Rose don't be mad." Lissa pleaded.  
"I'm not," I sighed. "I just don't like to be kept out."  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's okay, I'll see you." I told her before grabbing Cady and bringing her home and into her own bed. After I tucked her in, I went and sat down on my own bed, reading the new schedule through. Everything looked fine, it was actually a great plan the guys had worked out. Or at least that was my opinion until I saw who I was sharing my shift with for at least the next week.  
_Dimitri Belikov_.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

…

_Or at least that was my opinion until I saw who I was sharing my shift with for at least the next week.__ -__Dimitri Belikov__._

…

I woke up next morning, to someone snuggling down under the covers next to me.  
"Good morning baby, how are you feeling?" I asked as Cady snuggled closer into my chest, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  
"Hungry…" she said and yawned.  
"Well, then let's go make you some breakfast." I said and got out of the bed, picking Cady up and carrying her to the kitchen.  
After sitting her down on the kitchen counter and handing her, her usual glass of milk, I started rummaging through the fridge and cupboards, trying to find something for both of us to eat.  
"Argh…" I silently groaned, but of course Cady'd heard it.  
"What's wrong mommy?" she asked looking up at me, and I couldn't help but smile at the milk beard on her upper lip.  
"Mommy's forgotten to get some groceries, we have no food." I said and gave up on trying to find anything in our empty kitchen.  
"Why don't we go have breakfast with uncle Adrian?" Cady asked.  
"Well that's a great idea. Why don't you go get some clothes on, and mommy will just call and ask him, okay?"  
"Okay mommy!" she said as I lifted her down, so she could run back into her room and get dressed.  
Before calling Adrian I grabbed my guardian attire and went to the bathroom to fix myself up, I did have to work today, ugh and with Dimitri of all people.

"Come on in!" Adrian called, probably from the kitchen, when we knocked on his door.  
"Uncle Adrian!" Cady laughed as she ran into his arms. The entire apartment smelled of waffles and coffee, giving it a touch of a real home.  
"Hello sweetheart, are you hungry?" he asked her as we all sat down around the table in his not so big kitchen.  
"Give me, give me!" Cady squirmed impatiently stretching her arms towards the waffles, meaning that she wanted some and she wanted them now. Of course Adrian couldn't say no to her, so instead of letting her ask nicely first, he just handed her the entire plate, so she could grab for herself.  
"You know when people start commenting on that, I'll tell them you made her that way." I teased him and took some waffles for myself.  
"Relax Rose, she's a kid." He chuckled and we both looked at the little girl sitting in between us, smeared in syrup from head to toe.  
"Yes mommy, I'm just I kid." She said with her mouth full of waffles.  
"A messy one…" she added herself, and we could nothing but laugh and enjoy the rest of our breakfast.

I had to leave for work in a few minutes and Adrian had agreed on bringing Cady to daycare.  
I had just put on my guardian jacket, when Adrian called me back into the kitchen, panic clear in his voice.  
"What's wrong?" I asked as I hurried into the kitchen.  
"Mommy you forgot to say goodbye!" Cady said, the tears about ready to ball out of her eyes.  
"Oh I'm sorry baby!" I said and bent down, picking her up and crushing her to my chest.  
"I love you mommy." She whispered and pecked me on the lips before I sat her down.  
"I love you to sweetheart. Adrian can you follow me to the door?" I asked and he followed me to the front door.  
"Why did you sound so panicked!" I hissed hitting him in the chest.  
"Ouch! Well I knew that if you didn't say goodbye to her, I would be the one to stand with the drama and tears." He said and rubbed the spot where I'd hit him.  
"Oh, sorry I just-", I started but he cut me off.  
"It's okay Rose, I know you're on edge." He said and gave me a hug as he opened the door.  
"Yeah, I need to talk to Lissa about that trip to the hospital today. Well I'll see you later, okay." I said and waved as I walked out, leaving Cady with the only man I completely trusted her with.

…

My hands were sweaty from me being nervous. It was stupid really, I mean I had no reason to be nervous, I was just doing my job. But no matter how many times I told myself that, it didn't work.  
I was almost at the front gate, as ready as I'd ever be, to spending my day working with Dimitri.  
"Good morning." I said as I reached my goal, where he of course already stood, guarding the perimeter.  
"Morning." He said as I walked into the tiny shed beside the gate, to write down my time of start.  
"So, how's Cady?" Dimitri asked when I walked back out again.  
"She's okay…" I said not meeting his eyes.  
"Rose she's gonna be okay." He said and pulled my chin up with his finger, sending electric impulses out through my body from where he touched me.  
"How do you know that?" I asked, fearing that nothing would ever be the same again.  
"I just do, I can feel it." he said and walked a few steps down the driveway to court, before returning to where I stood.  
This thing with Cady affected me a lot, and I knew if I looked at him, I would break. God this was going to be a long day!  
We just stood there for what felt like the longest time ever, I'd gone without speaking, but at some point he couldn't keep quiet any longer.  
"Can I ask you a question?" he said breaking the silence. It was dark, in the middle of the moroi day, but there wasn't much to do today.  
"Shoot." I said before thinking.  
"Cady…", he started and I immediately felt where this was going.  
"- Who's her father." He ended not breaking eye contact with me at any moment. I could see the hurt in his eyes by the thought of me being with another, I felt the same towards him. At that moment I was seriously considered telling him the truth, that he was her father.  
"I can't tell you." I said at least, after dragging the time as much as I could.  
"Why not?" he asked, the hurt in his eyes grew, but there was also some anger in there.  
"Because it's none of your business and I don't want you to know!" I hissed.  
"Don't you think I know it's none of my business!" he yelled and closed the distant between us, standing only inches away from me now.  
He calmed down as he looked into my eyes. His hands ran up my arms, cupping my face and leaning his forehead to mine. I was frozen; I knew this would happen at some point but not right now.  
"Rose I know it's none of my business, but it kills me to know that you've been with someone else, given birth to someone else's child…" he trailed of, his eyes closed and mine about to burst with the tears I was trying to hold in.  
"- When all of that should've been you." I finished for him, and he slowly opened his eyes.  
"Exactly." He said leaning in closer, his lips only an inch away from touching mine.  
"Dimitri don't, please don't make it any harder than it already is." I whispered and he wiped away a tear that had escaped with his thumb. God, it was like every second I spend alone with him, I got harder and harder to resist him, and the feelings we once shared. I wished I could just forget everything and kiss him, but it didn't work that way, I couldn't just forget about the things he'd done.  
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I can't keep pretending that I don't love you… that I don't wanna kiss your beautiful lips so badly…" he whispered, before closing the last breath between us, gently placing his lips on mine, in the sweetest and softest kiss I'd ever had.  
It began to grow into something more than just a sweet and innocent kiss, when the passion and lust started running through both of us. I needed to stop this now, before I did something I'd regret.  
"Stop." I mumbled into his lips, which froze on mine.  
"Why?" he said and kissing my lips one more time quickly.  
"Cause if you don't I might do something I regret…" I panted and he pulled away. I knew he loved me more than anything, also enough to not push me any further.  
"Thank you." I said and stepped back.  
"What now?" he asked, worry and hurt clear in his eyes.  
"You give me some time, okay?" I said and my phone started ringing.  
"Okay…" he said and walked into the shed, letting me answer my phone in private, though I did see the smile playing on his lips. Damn him!  
"Talk to me!" I said into the phone, not looking at the caller id.  
"Guardian Hathaway, I'm sorry to disturb you but… it's about Cady."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

…

"_Talk to me!" I said into the phone, not looking at the caller id.  
"Guardian Hathaway, I'm sorry to disturb you but… it's about Cady."_

…

"What?!" I barked into the phone.  
"Well she was playing outside with the other kids, when she got nose bleed. It wasn't too bad, we got it stopped and thought no more about it. But then when I was about to put her down, she started complaining about pain in her stomach." The social worker from Cadys daycare said.  
"Is she okay?" I asked worried as I went to grab my purse in the shed where Dimitri sat, drinking a cup of coffee.  
"I don't know, she has a fever, but she's sleeping now. I think you should come get her, she doesn't look to good."  
"I'm on my way, I'll be there in ten minutes!" I said and hung up the phone.  
"Everything okay?" Dimitri asked from his chair.  
"No, I have to go, it's Cady." I said as I walked out, closely followed by Dimitri.  
"I'll come with you." He said worried. I turned around and stopped him by putting my hands on his chest.  
"No, you need to guard the gate." I said and started to walk again but he grabbed my hand before I got too far.  
"Rose I wanna help her." He said softly, worry for my daughter clear in his eyes.  
"Hmm… I'll call you when I know more, okay?" I sighed, I really needed to get going.  
"Fine." He said and squeezed my hand and off I went towards the daycare.  
I practically ran all the way, and when I got there one of the women working there paced back and forth outside with Cady in her arms."  
"Guardian Hathaway." She said when she saw me walking up to her.  
"We are trying to cool her down, her fevers gotten worse." She said as she handed my baby to me.  
"Thank you." I said before I grabbed Cadys stuff and took her home to our apartment. She didn't wake up at any moment on our way home, not even when I put her down in her bed and undressing her.  
"Oh baby, what are we gonna do with you?" I whispered and brushed away some hair from her sticky forehead. I silently left the room, grabbed my phone and dialed Lissas number as I threw myself down on the couch.

"Rosie! How are you doing?!" Christian laughed into the phone.  
"Can I talk to Liss please?" I asked not in the mood for Sparkys playing around, and I'm pretty sure he got the point.  
"Sure, is everything okay?" he asked and I heard him get up from something and start walking up the stairs, probably to Lissas office.  
"No, it's Cady, can I just please talk to Lissa?" I asked as I grew impatient.  
"Here she is.""  
"Rose, what is it?" she asked worried.  
"Cady's got a fever and stomach ache, how far along are you in the plans about that hospital?" I asked. We needed to start treating Cady before whatever was wrong with her got worse.  
"I actually just got off the phone with one of the doctors; he said that we could come down Friday. I've already booked hotel rooms." She said.  
"Rooms, no Liss you're way to busy with your duties, I'll be fine alone." I protested.  
"Rose I'm not letting you drive all the way down there alone."  
"I won't, I'll figure something out." I said.  
"Fine but let me know the plans before you leave tomorrow night." She said, and I agreed before hanging up on her.

This felt so surreal. I had no idea how things had ended up this way. Everything was fine, then Dimitri came back and things started to fall apart. And how did I feel about all of it. First of all I was scared, more than anything, for my daughter's life. Second I felt stressed out, and Dimitri being back only added to it. I didn't know how I was supposed to handle everything, reliving my heart breaking every time I looked at the man I loved, while my daughter being sick. But the worst of all the feelings that fluttered within me was guilt. Guilt because deep within me, I was happy Dimitri was back, some part of me kept hoping that just maybe things could go back to the way they were. And I hated myself for hoping that. I needed to focus on not doing anything that might get Cady hurt in the process.  
Besides all of those feelings I also felt torn. Part of me wanted to never let Dimitri know he had a daughter, but the other part of me, hoped that he could have a relationship with her. And the last part was beginning to outweigh the first.

…

It was late evening when I heard the knock on my door. Cady was still fast asleep in her bed, naked and with no covers, while trying to cool her little overheated body down.  
another impatient knock, broke out of my thoughts and back to reality. I grabbed the door handle, and before even opening the door, I had a feeling who might stand behind it.  
"Dimitri… what are you doing here?" I asked, not able to hide from him how exhausted I truly was.  
"I brought you something to eat. How's she doing?" he asked handing me a brown paper back.  
"I don't know…" I mumbled and without looking him in the eye. I needed to make one last effort to try and keep this man out of my life. I wasn't sure I could keep pretending much further.  
"Rose talk to me." he begged, and lifted my chin up, forcing me to look at him.  
"No too good-" I whispered, finally breaking.  
"She has a fever, I can't seem to cool her down." I sobbed frantically. He pulled me into his strong embrace, not letting me go.  
"Tell me what I can do Rose." He whispered, nuzzling his head in my hair.  
"Just hold me." I said as the tears continued to stream down my face. And he did.

…

"Roza…" Dimitri whispered softly in my ear. We sat close together on the couch, my back to his chest, his arms drawn tight around me.  
"It's getting late." He said, but none of tried to move out of this comfortable position we had gotten ourselves into.  
I don't know how long we just sat there, none of us speaking. Just enjoying the silence, and the feel of one another. But it couldn't go on forever, I had to pack for the hospital, and Dimitri probably had things to do to.  
"We're leaving tomorrow evening." I said, breaking the silence.  
"What?" Dimitri asked, panic clear in his eyes. Turning around and putting my hands on his strong chest, forcing him back down against the couch.  
"For the hospital in California." I explained and he immediately relaxed.  
"How are you getting down there?".  
"Car…?" I said, not understanding where he was going with this.  
"That's a long drive…" he said. we were now facing each other on the couch.  
"I know.." I said and looked down at my hands. Slowly testing the waters, he took my hand and intertwined our fingers.  
"Rose if you want me to, I'll come with you. I told you that I would do anything, and I stand by that. I wanna help your beautiful daughter. I wanna help you." He trailed off.  
"Dimitri… I appreciate it. But before you commit to anything, there's something you should know, and I'm not sure how you'll take this. But I need you to know, in order for you to help me…" I spoke, here goes everything…  
"Dimitri… Cady is your daughter…".


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

…

"_Rose if you want me to, I'll come with you. I told you that I would do anything, and I stand by that. I wanna help your beautiful daughter. I wanna help you." He trailed off.  
"Dimitri… I appreciate it. But before you commit to anything, there's something you should know, and I'm not sure how you'll take this. But I need you to know, in order for you to help me…" I spoke, here goes everything…  
"Dimitri… Cady is your daughter…"._

…

Tick tock, tick tock. I had no idea for how long Dimitri just sat in the opposite end of the couch from me, staring down into the floor.  
"Please say something…" I whispered after what seemed like hours, though I knew it wasn't.  
"What do you want me to say?!" he growled, flying up from where he sat.  
"What the fuck do you expect me to say Rose?! I have a child, a daughter. Christ I've been a father for years, without knowing!" he almost screamed, but he knew Cady was asleep upstairs.  
"I'm sorry…" I said quietly, not daring to look him in the eyes. I hated to admit that he still had the ability to scare me, but at this moment Dimitri was frightening.  
"Sorry..?! Keeping something as big as this from someone is just cruel and wrong. I had a right to know!" He said and ran his fingers through his hair.  
Oh no, you don't Belikov! Him pushing all the blame over on me is just unfair, and I the anger rose inside of me.  
Rising from the couch in anger and stabbing my finger in his chest, I spoke.  
"No, no, no! This is not all my fault! You. Left. Me. Remember?! You left me all alone, and I was scared! You knocked me up and left me!"  
"I had no idea I had knocked you up!" he yelled back at me.  
"No, but if you'd stayed you could have been a part of it. But you didn't!" tears were streaming down my face at this point.  
"You left, and I thought you did it for Tasha! I felt useless and unwanted, and I couldn't stand that you would give up on me a second time, when you found out I was pregnant. I couldn't do it!" I finished, my breathing ragged and my eyes red and puffy from all the crying.  
"I just couldn't…. I know what I did wasn't right, but I can't change the past." I whispered and looked at the man in front of me. The man I'd once loved, in fact I still do.  
Minutes went by once again, none of us speaking. What I'd been afraid would happen if I told Dimitri that Cady was his daughter, came true. He was freaking pissed.  
Taking a step closer to, needing him to forgive me for the secret I'd kept from him, I took his hand in mine. But the minute my fingers touched his, he flinched.  
"God, I can't even look at you right now!" he exclaimed, and he was gone, out the door before I could blink. Maybe gone for good…

…

_Three days later_

…

"Mommy?!", Cady cried from her room, one night. I was in my bed, sleeping when she woke me. Taking a glance at my alarm clock as I rose from my warm comfortable bed, I noticed it was 4am in the morning. Usually Cady was sound asleep at this moment, but the fact that she wasn't worried me, and I therefore hurried to her side.  
"What's wrong baby?" I asked, turning on her bed side lamp. I looked at my beautiful daughter, seeing her bathed in sweat.  
"Cady, you need to tell me what's wrong." I said softly, but firm. Pain was clear on her face, and the tears were streaming down her face. She didn't speak but just kept crying. Putting my hand on her forehead, I felt her temperature.  
"God you're burning sweetheart!" I said and pulled her out of the bed, and to my chest, carrying her to the bathroom, making a brief stop on the way. I needed to text Lissa immediately; I needed to get moving towards California, this minute.

_*Everything ready?! Need to go to Cali ASAP!*_

It was all I had time to write, I needed to cool Cady down. Turning on the shower and stepping into the cold water, both of us still fully dressed, chills ran down my spine. The water was freezing cold, but feeling Cady relax in my arms, I knew it did her good, even though it would probably make me sick.  
Ten minutes later I couldn't take it any longer, and I brought Cady with me out of the shower, wrapping us both in a towel.  
Taking a quick glance at my phone, I saw 6 missed calls from Lissa.  
"Mommy I'm cold.." Cady said, shaking in my arms.  
"I know baby, we're gonna get you dressed and then we're going to California." I said

I changed both of us into dry clothes, when someone busted in the door.  
"Rose?!" I heard Lissa call and soon she stood in the door opening to my bedroom, where I'd just put Cady, who was grunting in her sleep, clearly uncomfortable, down.  
"How is she?" Lissa asked as Christian appeared behind her.  
"Not good, I need to get going now. I… I…"  
"Rose breathe, she is gonna be alright ok?" She said trying to calm my down but the tears threatened to spill down my cheeks, what if she wasn't going to be ok?  
"Christian carry the bags down in the trunk, I'll bring them down." Lissa ordered Christian who did what he was told.  
"Alright Rose, I need you to go pack some advil for the trip, oka-"  
"No!" I said before she even finished. "I'm not gonna leave her!" I said panicking.  
"Ok I'll go get some, then you carry her down to the car, ok?"

"Ok." I said and went to pick up Cady.  
As I walked her down to the car she was almost limb in my arms and I noticed how much lighter she'd become.  
"Oh baby, you've lost weight. I'm so sorry, everything is going to be ok…" I cooed into her ear.  
Down by the car Christian had everything ready for us to leave, the bags where in the trunk and the car was on, heating up so we wouldn't freeze.  
"Here let me take her." Christian offered and reached out to take her from me, but I held her away.  
"No I'll do it." I said and instead he opened her car door for me so I could place her in her seat.  
"Alright I got the advil, you're good to go." Lissa came running down the sidewalk, waving a white pill container in her hand.  
"Thanks Liss." I said as I gently closed the car door, careful not to wake up Cady.  
"Are you sure you don't want us with you, we can come!" Lissa said and Christian nodded agreeing with her.  
"No it's okay, we'll be fine, we just need to get going. Does the doctors know we're coming?" I asked.  
"Yeah I called them ten minutes ago, they are ready for you when you arrive." Lissa said and hugged me.  
"Please drive carefully…" Sparky said and hugged me as well. "You got a long 12 hour drive with my favorite little niece in the back." He said, putting a small smile on my lips, before he walked of to give me and Lissa some space.  
"Liss… I… I told Dimitri the truth." I stuttered and a lonely tear fell from my eye.  
"Oh Rose, I'm so sorry…" She said and hugged me once more, kissing the top of my head.  
"I just wanted you to know… He's not obligated to do anything just… tell him ok?" I whispered, my voice hoarse.  
"I'll tell him… I love you Rose."  
"I love you too Liss." And with that we drove of into the morning sunrise, heading for Saint Jules Hospital, California.

* * *

**Alright I am definitely glad I put the story back up!**

**I wanna thank all of you for the support, it was just what I needed to start writing again. So here is the "first" new chapter and I really hope you like it. No matter what you think about it, please leave a review telling me what you thought. And if any of you have any theories as to what is wrong with poor Cady, what I should make happen next, and if you have any new storylines that you're thinking "I would love to read a story that goes like this, but I can't write it myself", then please tell me, I am all in this time! Thank you again, I love every single one of you!**

Xoxo Sofie


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

…

"_I just wanted you to know… He's not obligated to do anything just… tell him ok?" I whispered, my voice hoarse.  
"I'll tell him… I love you Rose."  
"I love you too Liss." And with that we drove of into the morning sunrise, heading for Saint Jules Hospital, California._

…

The sun was far above the horizon, we'd been driving for 3 hours straight but both Cady and I needed a break.  
I pulled the car up on the first parking lot we met, and cut the engine.  
"Hi Cady baby, how are you feeling?" I asked my beautiful sleeping daughter as I tried to wake her gently.  
"Come on Cady, we need to get some fluids in you." I said as i unbuckled her from her car seat and carried her out, holding her close to my chest.  
"Mommy, I'm thirsty…" she almost whispered tiredly in my ear.  
"Of course baby, what do you want?" I asked her and started walking to the tiny shop connected to the gas station.

"Apple juice…" she spoke, her head resting weakly on my shoulder as i carried her on my hip. I couldn't believe how much more weaker she'd become during the last 3 days, as if she could feel what had happened when i told her father about his new status. I knew he had every right to be mad or at least dissapointed but the fact that he during the 3 days hadn't come and seen Cady once, pissed me of really bad.  
"Mommy…"

What's wrong honey…" I stopped just outside the tiny shop, sat Cady down in front of me and crouched down to her level.

"My tummy hurts.." She said and then waterworks started.  
"Oh baby… where in your tummy?" i asked putting my hand gently on her stomach.

"Here…" she sniffed and pointed to the middle area. I stroked her tummy but the minute I touched her, she winced in pain. Not understanding much, I pulled up her t-shirt.

"Oh my god…" I gasped and a set of brown worried eyes looked up into mine.  
"Mommy..?" Cady whispered, a horryfied look on her face. I didn't know what to tell her so I justpulled her shirt down quickly, hiding her badly bruised tummy.  
"Cady have you fallen recently?" I said, taking her hand and entering the shop.

"No." she said and picked out her juice box, which we paid for and hurried back t the car.

Cady was walking beside me on a path of grass, while I was fumbling with the juice box, trying to get the god damn straw out of the plastic it was wrapped in, when the little angel beside me started laughing and pulling at my jeans to get my attention.

"Mommy, mommy what is Dimitri doing here?" she said happily, but my entire system froze. Dimitri here? Looking up from the juice box, I looked towards where I'd parked the car, and sure enough there he was, leaning against his black mercedes.  
As we reached where he stood, I didn't spare him a glance only looking at the ground, while Cady was all smiley face at him.  
"Hi Dimitri!" she said as she drank her juice box I'd just handed her.

"Hello Cady." he said, crouching down to her level, and giving her a big smile.

Oh so he could smile at her?! I was furious all of a sudden, upset and mad about the last couple of days and his lacking enthusiasm.  
"Come sit in the car Cady, while you finished your juice" I said, picking her up and pacing her in the car before she could even respond. I needed a word with her so called father. Closing the car door gently, I turned around and leaned against it, waiting for him to say something.  
I was overwhelmed by how upset I was over this, over the fact that he only shows up here now, because things have gotten wore with Cady. I know it's her who is the important person right now, but I couldn't help wondering if all he'd said about him not giving up on me, was true anymore.  
After minutes of pure silence I decided to speak up, I needed to get moving towards California.

"What are you doing here Dimitri?" I asked, not daring to look into his beautiful eyes, knowing I would break down into tears.

"I promised I'd go with you to California…" he said and I knew he was looking at me, I could feel it, but it didn't feel like a loving gaze at all.

"Oh…" was all I said, this was gonna be a long trip then. Another couple of minutes passed by without any of us saying a word. But he was the first to break the silence.

"Are we gonna get going then, or are we gonna stand here looking like dumbfound idiots all day?" he said and the anger was clear in his voice, meaning he was pissed at me.  
"Yeah…" I spoke but it came out as a whispere, the tears in my eyes threatening to spill. I looked away and headed for the drivers side when Dimitri spoke again.

"No we'll take my car. The battery in yours is probably dead after you left the lights on." he said and I could feel his angry glare in my back.  
"Fine!" if this was the way he wanted to play, then so be it, I could be mad to!

…

DPOV

I can't believe I am a father. When Rose told me I first didn't believe her, but then, thinking back, it all added up. I was so stupid to have not seen it before! I was pissed, no furious with Rose! How dare she keep something as important as this from me, the fact that Cady is my daughter, like I ha no choice whether to do this with her or not. I missed her first steps, her first word, her first eveything for gods sake, I missed my daughters first 3 and a half years of life, because her mother was too stupid to tell me.

I was sleeping when Lissa had called and told me everything, including the fact that I was a jerk. Well I already knew that. I'd kept away from Rose and Cady ever since she told me, and I knew it was wrong. But knowing that the person you love the most have kept such an important secret from you, that hurts. I love Rose, i always have and I always will, but at the moment I'm mad at her, and I believe I have the right to be so. I also love Cady. I'd never though I could love another person more than I love Rose, but now I do. I would do anything for both of them, but my bond with Cady is already strong, even though she has no idea what I am to her. But they are both my girls, and I would give my life up for both of them.

They're in the backseat, sleeping. They've been for the last two hours. They look so peaceful when they sleep. Cady in her carseat, hanging halfway over her mother, who in her sleep is holding her hand.

We were four hours away from Los Angeles where the hospital was, and we all needed a break.

…

RPOV

I woke as Dimitri pulled the car into a crowded parking lot. It was almost dark outside and Cady was fast asleep beside me.  
"What are you doing?" I asked him as he was about to step out of the car.  
"We all need a break, we're in LA in four hours." he said and slammed the door without waking Cady. He walked back to Cadys door and gently opened it.  
"Can I carry her inside?" He asked and for the first time he really looked at me. I was stunned, he hadn't changed a bit in the last couple of days, and I could see that the affection and love for me was still there, but he was also still mad at me.

"Sure…" I trailed off as he started to unbuckle her from the seat. She started waking and I knew she would cry in a second, but Dimitri held her close to his chest and whispered sweet russian words in her ear. The only thing I caught being, daddy is here baby, and my heart melted. I had a feeling how it would be to watch the two really together for the first time, but nowhere like this. My motherly heart bloomed and my love for the both of them grew, if that was even possible.

Getting out of the car, I followed Dimitri into the motel reception, we quickly got the keys to our room, and went to put Cady down. I'd taken Cady and I was tucking her in while Dimitri was making sure there was no danger outside.

I had just kissed Cadys forehead when I heard something slam hard against the room door. Grabbing my stake and hurrying outside, I found Dimitri fighting two strigoi.  
"Rose! Get inside NOW!" Dimitri yelled as one of the bastards hit him straight in th stomach. I ignored his so called orders and went after the strigoi who was about to sink his teeth in Dimitris back. I battled him off of him and the strigoi now had hus full attention on me. It was a long time since I'd last fought of a strigoi, and I received a few blows to the head, before I finslly managed to cut him with my stake, making him scream out in pain.  
The battle went on, both of us fighting our own strigoi, Dimitri doing well on his. Suddenly a loud cry came from the room I'd just left, the room with Cady in it. Dimitris and mines eye met, and right there we were parents together, worried about our child.  
"Rose go!" He screamed as he managed to stake his strigoi before taking over mine. I ran as fast as I could back to the room, to find my daughter crying.

"Cady…" i said and hugged her to my chest.  
"Mommy I had a bad dream…" she said but I could see her eyes already closing, letting her fall back to sleep. I sang her back to sleep, trying to stay calm knowing what went on outside.

I'd just put her down, when the door opened and Dimitri limped in.  
"Are you okay?" i asked, closing the door to the room Cady was in.  
"I'm fine.." he said his breathing troubled.  
"No you're not!" I said and helped him sit down on the couch before retrieving the first aid kit from the bathroom.

"Take you shirt off." I said, I needed to see the cut on his chest since that was the place it bleeded the most.

He didn't respond so I reached down at the hem of his shirt and pulled it off myself, while he just sat there looking at me.  
Crouching down in front of him, I gently placed my hand on his chest.

"You don't have to do this Roza…" He trailed off, placing his hand on mine. Right then and there, my heart broke into a thousand pieces. I'd told him to never call me by that name again, it reminded me of what we once had, what we'd never get back. But it also healed. I loved this man with all of my heart, I'd do anything for him and our daughter, and realising that, a tear fell silently from my eye down my cheek.

"No… I want to." I whispered, and continued to clean the wound while he just sat there looking at me. When done, I put a bandage on it and sat back on my heels.

"Thank you." He said, tracing the wet pattern from the betraying tear.

"I'm sorry…" I said barely a whisper as another tear escaped. Right there I realised I should've told him about Cady sooner.

He responded by wiping away the fresh tear, and pulling me up onto his lap, crushing me to his chest.

"Roza…" he whispered, maybe not for me to hear, but I did.  
"You deserved to know about her…" I said and the tears were streaming silently down my face by now.

"Yes I did." He said and a sob escaped me.  
"But we can't change the past, no matter what we do, no matter how hard we try. We just gotta live in the present." He said and kissed my temple, the kiss lingering on for a while. And we just sat like that for what felt like hours, him comforting me.  
"Dimitri?" I asked, breaking the silence.  
"Yeah…?"

"Do you… Do you still love me? Cause I would uderstand if you hated-" I spoke but before I could finish the sentence, he planted his lips lovingly on mine. They lingered and we shared a kiss, so full of love that the half could be enough.

"That's how much I love you Roza. I could never hate you." He said and smiled, making me smile too. I leaned in slowly and kissed him once more, the kiss getting a bit more heated this time, but taking it any further would be too much, too soon.

"Dimitri, I love you, always have… always wil…" I whispered, my lips against his.

"I love you Roza, you've been on my mind every second of the last four years." He whispered back, and I felt a tear drop down on my cheek from his eye.  
"I love you so much.." I said once more before snuggling into his chest, and slowly falling asleep, in the arms of the father of my child, the arms of the man I love.

* * *

**There you go, a nice long chapter. I listened to Holding On And Letting Go by Ross Copperman while writing the last part, it doesn't fit that well, but I love the melody and the song.**

**Please Review!**

**- Oh and does anyone of you know any good "Dimitri leaves Rose pregnant for Tasha" stories? I really wanna read one!**


	18. AN

**Hi guys! Feel like I owed you some kind of explanation to the lack of chapters. I have NOT dropped the story again, but I am busy with exam and they are my first priority. So if you want to, you're welcome to help me, maybe write a chapter or part of one of what you would want to happen next or just some ideas, and I'll try and get working on a new chapter;-)**

**thanks!**


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